Overdose deaths decrease nationwide, Utah sees increase
Sep 23, 2024, 2:00 PM | Updated: 2:07 pm
Bottles of Purdue Pharma L.P. OxyContin medication sit on a pharmacy shelf in Provo, Utah, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016. A Nov. 2015 forecast from health data firm IMS Health expects global sales of brand and generic prescription drugs, and nonprescription medicines, to total $1.4 trillion in 2020. (George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — Overdose deaths in the United States decreased for the first time since 2018. However, Utah is not following that trend.
According to data from Center for Disease Control, fatal overdoses from April 2023 to April 2024, declined by 10.6% nationwide. There were 101,168 overdose deaths counted in 2023. Conversely, Utah saw in increase of 8.08%. Utah is among 9 states that saw a fatality increase.
The CDC noted that not every state has reported all of their numbers.
Overdose deaths hit Alaska the hardest with a 41% increase. However, Nebraska decreased overdose fatalities by almost 30%. The CDC shows this is the fifth consecutive month showing drug overdose deaths decreased nationwide.
Opioids, primarily fentanyl, accounted for the largest percentage of overdose deaths in the U.S. The CDC estimates 74,702 of overdose fatalities were related to opiods last year. That was a decrease from 2022 which saw 76,226 opioid deaths.
Deaths related to cocaine and psychostimulants, like methamphetamine increased, however.
According to the Public Health Indicator Based Information System, drug overdose is the leading cause of death in the Utah. It out numbers deaths caused by firearms, falls, and car crashes, killing 10 Utahns a week.
Allessandra Harris-Gurr is a reporter for KSL NewsRadio. Amie Schaeffer contributed to this report.
