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NEW ORLEANS — The variety of drug overdose deaths in the USA edged up barely final yr after two massive jumps throughout the pandemic.
Officers on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention say the numbers have been flat for many of the previous yr. Specialists aren’t positive if which means the deadliest drug overdose epidemic in US historical past is lastly peaking, or if it’s going to appear like earlier plateaus adopted by new spikes in deaths.
“The truth that it seems to be leveling off, at the least nationally, is encouraging,” mentioned Katherine Keyes, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia College whose analysis focuses on drug use. “However these numbers are nonetheless exceptionally excessive. We should always not declare that the disaster is in any means over.”
In keeping with figures launched Wednesday by the CDC, there have been an estimated 109,680 overdose deaths final yr. That is about 2% greater than the 107,622 US overdose deaths in 2021, however not similar to the 30% improve in 2020 and the 15% improve in 2021.
Whereas the statewide whole remained comparatively fixed between 2021 and 2022, various states noticed dramatic adjustments: 23 states reported fewer overdose deaths, one — Iowa — noticed no change, and the remaining continued to extend.
Eight states — Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia — reported important decreases in overdose deaths of about 100 or extra in comparison with the earlier calendar yr.
A few of these states had the very best overdose loss of life charges throughout the epidemic, which Keyes says could possibly be an indication that years of targeted work to unravel the issue is paying off. State officers cited varied elements for the decline, together with social media and well being training campaigns to warn the general public concerning the risks of drug use; expanded dependancy therapy — together with telemedicine — and extra widespread use of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone.
It is also decreasing the stigma that daunts drug customers from looking for assist — and discouraging some docs and cops from serving to them — mentioned Dr. Joseph Kanter, the Louisiana state well being official, the place overdose deaths fell 4% final yr.
“We’re catching up and the tide is popping — slowly,” mentioned Kanter, whose state has one of many highest overdose loss of life charges within the nation.
From the mid-1990s, prescription opioid painkiller abuse was chargeable for the deaths, earlier than a gradual shift to heroin, which precipitated extra deaths than prescription painkillers or different medicine in 2015. A yr later, the deadlier fentanyl and its shut kin turned the primary drug killer.
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Final yr once more, most overdose deaths had been associated to fentanyl and different artificial opioids. About 75,000, 4% greater than final yr. There was additionally an 11% improve in cocaine-related deaths and a 3% improve in meth and different stimulant-related deaths.
Overdose deaths are sometimes attributed to multiple drug; Some individuals take a number of medicine, and officers say cheap fentanyl is more and more being combined up with different medicine, typically unbeknownst to purchasers.
Investigations by Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug coverage professional on the College of California, San Francisco, means that “there seems to be some substitution underway,” with various individuals utilizing illicit medicine turning to methamphetamine or different choices to do that. Keep away from fentanyl and medicines contaminated with fentanyl.
Ciccarone mentioned he believes overdose deaths are lastly coming down. He cited enhancements in innovation in counseling and dependancy therapy, elevated availability of naloxone, and authorized motion that resulted in additional than $50 billion in proposed and accomplished settlements – cash that needs to be obtainable to strengthen overdose prevention.
“We have completed loads to deal with this 20-year drawback of opioid overdose,” he mentioned. “We should always flip the curve down.”
Nevertheless, he additionally expressed a level of warning, saying, “We have been right here earlier than.”
Take into account 2018 when overdose deaths fell by 4% from the earlier yr to roughly 67,000. After these figures turned recognized, then-President Donald Trump declared: “We’re containing the opioid epidemic.”
However then overdose deaths spiked to a file 71,000 in 2019 after which skyrocketed to 92,000 in 2020 and 107,000 in 2021 throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specialists mentioned lockdowns and different pandemic-era restrictions are isolating drug addicts and making therapy tougher.
Keyes believes the numbers haven’t worsened in 2022, partially as a result of isolation has eased because the pandemic subsided. However issues might nonetheless lie forward, say others, equivalent to elevated detection of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine within the illicit drug provide and proposals to limit issues like telemedicine prescribing of addictive medicine.
“The final 20 years of this overdose disaster has taught us that that is certainly a shifting goal,” Keyes mentioned. “And while you suppose you might have the issue beneath management, generally the issue can shift in new and other ways.”
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