Overdose deaths fell in the United States in 2023 for the first time in five years
Overdose deaths in the United States fell slightly last year, the first decline in five years, according to preliminary federal data released Wednesday.The rare good news in the decades-long addiction crisis is attributable mostly to a decline in deaths from synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, said researchers at the National Center for Health Statistics, who compiled the numbers.But the full picture of the drug death toll remains bleak. Although deaths from opioids have decreased, deaths from stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine have increased. And some states, including Oregon and Washington, continued to see sharp increases in overall overdose deaths.Overall overdoses in 2023 were estimated at 107,543, down from 111,029 in 2022, a decline of 3%. Opioid deaths decreased by 3...