Drug overdose deaths in the US declined last year for the first time since 2018, even as overall drug use-related deaths remained well above pre-Covid pandemic levels, according to new figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths occurred in 2023, a 3% decrease from 2022 when 111,029 such deaths were estimated to occur. The US has recorded a dramatic increase in such deaths for the past 25 years, only seeing dips in 2023 and 2018.
The CDC estimates overdose deaths based on mortality data from state offices.
“We’re not out ...