EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
The U.S. marked its largest one-year decline in drug overdose deaths in 2024, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday.
An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year — down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023. Experts mentioned several possible factors for the decline, including increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, expanded addiction treatment, shifts in how people use drugs and the impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money.
Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC said in a statement that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old. The numbers are provisional, meaning they're estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit.
The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency’s National Center for Health Statistics.
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READ AP'S STORY
US overdose deaths fell 27% last year, the largest one-year decline ever seen
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VIEW OVERDOSE DEATHS IN YOUR STATE
All but two states saw declines in 2024, with Nevada and South Dakota experiencing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation’s decades-long overdose epidemic.
This CDC page has a map that includes overdose deaths in each state. It shows the number of deaths that occurred in the 12-month period ending with December 2024 — in other words, all of last year — and the comparable period in 2023, and lists the percentage change.
Some state or local public health officials may have more localized versions of overdose death data.
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FIND ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE HELPING WITH HARM REDUCTION
The National Harm Reduction Coalition has a nationwide map of resource centers that may be able to provide more information on naloxone use and other related topics.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, also has links to websites for treatment options and locations.
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FIND MORE RESOURCES FOR REPORTING ON THE OPIOID CRISIS
Reporting on Addiction, a project of 100 Days in Appalachia and Opioid Policy Institute, has a style guide, expert lists and other resources for journalists reporting on the opioid crisis.
KFF Health News has a tutorial on how reporters can get detail on opioid settlement spending.
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Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to Katie Oyan at koyan@ap.org.
