Priya Shahi
Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
(TNS)
Preliminary federal data indicates a significant decline in drug overdose deaths across the country, as stepped up efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis have become more widespread — but local officials have said much work remains.
From April 2023 to April 2024, national overdose deaths fell by roughly 10% compared to the same time period a year earlier, according to preliminary CDC data.
Despite the drop, deaths still stood at more than 100,000 across the country over those 12 months.
Overdose deaths in U.S. spiked during pandemic
Preliminary data are early findings that may change with new information, showing initial trends until final data is confirmed.
Although the most recent data is still provisional, the sharp decline it indicates comes after a historic peak of 107,000 overdose deaths officially recorded nationwide in 2021.
Preliminary data suggest that the figure was even higher in 2022, with around 109,000 fatalities. Preliminary data for 2023 suggests that overdose deaths may be lower than the 2022 total, but exact figures are still being finalized.
New York State’s overdose deaths soared by 44% in 2020 and rose another 17% in 2022, underscoring a serious public health crisis.
The rise in overdose deaths was largely due to a spike in opioid fatalities, mainly from illicit fentanyl, according to the Office of New York State Comptroller.
“The disruption to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said.
Overdose death rates surged across all racial and ethnic groups in the state in 2020, increasing nearly five-fold for Black New Yorkers, quadrupling for Hispanic or Latino New Yorkers, and tripling for white New Yorkers. That year, white New Yorkers experienced the highest death rate, recorded at 28.7 per 100,000, according to CDC data.
As part of the state’s initiative to reduce the harms associated with drug use, Governor Kathy Hochul announced in August 2022 that naloxone would be available in all New York pharmacies and can be dispensed without a prescription.
“The opioid and overdose epidemic has impacted far too many New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “Alongside harm reduction, preventive, and treatment support programs, the expanded availability of Narcan has saved lives throughout New York State, and over-the-counter accessibility will save even more. We will continue to focus State resources towards addressing the overdose epidemic effectively and compassionately.”
Naloxone is an easy-to-use medication that can reverse life-threatening opioid overdoses, including those from fentanyl, heroin, and prescription painkillers.
Staten Island recorded the second highest overdose death rate in NYC
Someone dies of an overdose in New York City every three hours, according to the City’s Department of Health.
According to an article from the American Journal of Public Health, the authors stated: “we posit that the crisis is fundamentally fueled by economic and social upheaval, its etiology closely linked to the role of opioids as a refuge from physical and psychological trauma, concentrated disadvantage, isolation, and hopelessness.”
In 2022, New York City recorded 3,026 overdose deaths, the highest total since the Department of Health began tracking these incidents in 2000. As of now, the final data for drug overdose deaths in New York City for 2023 is not yet finalized.
That year, Staten Island recorded the second highest overdose death rate in New York City at 38 per 100,000, following the Bronx.
In January of this year, the Staten Island Fentanyl and Overdose Task Force called on Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislators in Albany to declare a state of emergency in response to the rising number of fatal overdoses on Staten Island and across New York State.
“This is something that we are not doing enough about nationally, and yet, if you compare Staten Island even to the nation, we are under resourced,” Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Executive Director and task force member Dr. Brahim Ardolic told The Advance/SiLive.com.
The New York State HOPEline is available 24/7 and staffed by specially trained mental health professionals and peer advocates with lived experience in addiction. For help and hope, call 1-877-8-HOPENY (467369) or text HOPENY (467369) for toll-free and confidential support.
___
(c)2024 Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
Visit Staten Island Advance, N.Y. at www.silive.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
