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05/24/2023
Drug overdose deaths down in Ohio
Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. went up slightly last year after two big leaps during the pandemic, although experts say there may be some reason for optimism (Source: “Drug Overdoses in the U.S. Slightly Increased Last Year. But Experts See Hopeful Signs,” Associated Press, May 17, 2023).
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found an estimated 109,680 overdose deaths occurred last year, according to numbers recently posted by the CDC. That’s about 2% more than the 107,622 U.S. overdose deaths in 2021, but nothing like the 30% increase seen in 2020, and 15% increase in 2021.
Experts aren’t sure whether last year’s plateau means the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in U.S. history is finally reaching a peak, or whether it’ll look like previous plateaus that were followed by new surges in deaths.
While the overall national number was relatively static between 2021 and 2022, there were dramatic changes in a number of states: 23 reported fewer overdose deaths, one — Iowa — saw no change, and the rest continued to increase.
Eight states — Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia — reported sizable overdose death decreases of about 100 or more compared with the previous calendar year.
