Deaths Due to Opioid Overdose Fall for the 12th Consecutive Month

Opioid overdoses are leading to less deaths compared with the beginning of 2024, according to new data released by the CDC compiling data on deaths due to opioid overdose.¹ Another decrease in deaths related to opioids in the past month makes it 12 consecutive months of decreasing deaths and the lowest number of deaths since 2020.

The reported number of predicted deaths linked to opioids was 70,655 through June 2024, which is lower than the number in June 2023, when the predicted number was 86,401. Overdose death rates are also decreasing in all but a few states, including Alaska, whose reported deaths increased from 219 to 339 from June 2023 to June 2024. Similar trends are found in Nevada, where the reported deaths increased from 814 to 997; Oregon, where reported deaths increased from 1248 to 1366; and Washington, where reported deaths increased from 2619 to 2763.

This trend of decreasing deaths comes after the CDC reported more than 1 million people in the United States had died of drug overdoses from 1990, with the majority of them being related to opioids, such as fentanyl.² The economic cost of the opioid crisis has surpassed $1 trillion as solutions to patient addiction have been at the forefront of health care policy.

Deaths due to opioid overdose have decreased for the 12th consecutive month | Image credit: Victor Moussa - stock.adobe.com

There are several factors that could be contributing to this decrease in deaths related to opioid overdoses, including the overdose-reversing spray naloxone becoming more broadly available. The FDA approved the use of naloxone nasal spray for OTC use in March 2023,³ which enhanced accessibility for those who needed it the most and reduced the barrier of a prescription to get care needed in emergency overdosing situations. High school students are also reporting lower rates of illegal drug use.⁴ However, some demographic populations still have higher rates of death due to opioids, making targeted interventions in those demographics vital in decreasing overall deaths.

Another factor that could be affecting deaths due to opioids is a shift in illegal drug supply, according to CBS News.⁴ This can include the rise of xylazine making injection drug use less appealing and also reducing the number of times that drugs are used per day due to its elongated effects. Xylazine is traditionally used in veterinary practices, which is what it was approved for by the FDA in 1972.⁵ Its increased use could portent a different driver of drug overdoses in the future.

Overall, the decreased number of deaths due to opioid overdose is a positive sign that different methods of combatting overdoses, such as naloxone availability, seem to be helping in mitigating the widespread effects of the opioid epidemic. However, more work needs to be done, specifically in the Native American population and among Black men, to continue to push the number down, as the deaths are still numbering more than 50,000 per year. Finding the root of the reasons the numbers are decreasing and employing safe methods of decreasing opioid use in demographics on the higher end of the spectrum should be the biggest priorities moving forward, experts say.

References

1. Provisional drug overdose death counts. CDC. Updated November 3, 2024. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm
2. Breen K. About 1 in 3 Americans have lost someone to a drug overdose, new study finds. CBS News. May 31, 2024. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-overdose-deaths-opioid-crisis-substance-use/
3. FDA Approves first over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray. FDA; March 29, 2023. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-over-counter-naloxone-nasal-spray
4. Tin A. Opioid overdose deaths drop for 12th straight month, now lowest since 2020. CBS News. November 13, 2024. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/opioid-overdoses-drop-lowest-since-2020-cdc/
5. Import alert 68-20. FDA. October 29, 2024. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1179.html