There is some very good news in the fight against drug overdose deaths. According to the CDC, drug overdose deaths dropped 10% from April 2023 to April 2024, the first such decline in a decade. Previous years have seen either small drops or, more commonly, double-digit percentage increases. The total number of deaths last year was 112,470. That number has since dropped to 101,168. While the cause for the drop in deaths is still a mystery, some researchers have attributed the decrease to better drug treatment and overdose prevention. “Expansion of naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder — these strategies worked,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
