‘Unprecedented’ decline in US drug overdose deaths gives experts hope

A new report states fatalities had decreased by 10% as of April 2024 while 911 first-responder calls were 16.7% lower

Experts have welcomed news of a reported drop in overdose deaths in the US and say they are cautiously optimistic about the downward trend, while warning that more work and extra resources will be needed to sustain progress.

Overdose deaths in the US have dropped by about 10%, the largest decline in decades - falling to an estimated 101,168 deaths annually as of April 2024, according to an analysis of state-level data.