Recent national data showed a decline in drug overdose deaths in the United States. Provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 12 months ending in September 2024 reported the fewest overdose deaths since June 2020.
With 87,000 drug overdose deaths reported from October 2023 to September 2024, this number is down from around 114,000 in the previous year.
“It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year,” Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said. “That’s more than 70 lives saved every day. CDC’s public health investments, our improved data and laboratory systems for overdose response, and our partnerships with public safety colleagues in every state mean that we are more rapidly identifying emerging drug threats and supporting public health prevention and response activities in communities across America.”
The provisional data confirmed a decline in overdose deaths in 45 states, while five states—Alaska, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Utah—still showed an increase.
“Good news like this is only possible when people are able to access treatment and healthcare services,” Daliah Heller, vice president for Overdose Prevention Initiatives at Vital Strategies, said. “We know that in many of the hardest hit states, Medicaid coverage accounts for upwards of 70 percent of all funding for substance use disorder treatment.
In a press release, the CDC said there were multiple factors that contributed to the decline in overdose deaths, including “widespread, data-driven distribution of naloxone, which is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose; better access to evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders; shifts in the illegal drug supply; a resumption of prevention and response after pandemic-related disruptions; and continued investments in prevention and response programs like CDC’s flagship Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program.”
“Sensible, proven strategies such as naloxone availability, access to treatment medications like methadone and buprenorphine, and drug checking work,” Heller said. “We must continue to ensure that people who are using drugs have access to resources to make informed decisions about their health, and immediate, low-barrier opportunities to connect with services and treatment. Given the ongoing volatile and potent drug supply, engaging people with care and supports is critical to saving lives. These public health investments must continue to grow if we want to see a sustained reduction in drug-related deaths, injuries, and illness.”
The CDC said the national decline in overdose deaths is encouraging news, but “overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44.” Heller said sustained efforts are needed to ensure this progress continues.
“The 2024 data are welcome and dramatic, but 80,000 of our friends, family, and community members did not survive: We must continue to grow, strengthen, and accelerate public health investments to address drug use,” Heller said. “Robust support for proven, community-driven responses will ensure we can continue driving the curve down for all populations and meet the future with hope.”
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