CDC reports 24% decrease in US overdose by US overdose

Washington (DPA -AFX) – The new provisional data in the National Vital Statistics system estimates a decrease of almost 24 percent of deaths by drug overdose in the United States for the 12 months ending in September 2024, compared to the previous year.

These are the latest available national data and show a continuous steep decrease in deaths by overdose.

The provisional data show about 87,000 deaths by drug overdose from October 2023 to September 2024, decreasing from about 114,000 the previous year. This is the lowest deaths by overdose in any 12 -month period in June 2020.

“It is unprecedented to see that the overdose deaths have decreased by over 27,000 per single year,” said Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for CDC’s prevention and control.

While this national decline is encouraging news, overdose remains the main cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 44, says CDC.

In the latest data, 45 states showed decreases in deaths by overdose. The five states that have increased deaths by overdose are Alaska, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota and Utah.

CDC cites more factors to decrease deaths by overdose. These include large -scale distribution based on Naloxone, which is a medicine to save life that can reverse an overdose; Better access to the treatment based on evidence for substance consumption disorders; changes in illegal drug supply; a resumption of prevention and response after pandemic interruptions; and continuous investments in prevention and response programs, such as the CDC to action (OD2A) overdose program.