Episode Details

Overdose deaths declined in most U.S. states last year, with significant drops in fentanyl, cocaine, and meth, according to new CDC data. However, seven states saw small increases, including Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The peak of nearly 110,000 deaths in 2022, driven by pandemic isolation and limited treatment access, has been decreasing as restrictions ease. Researchers at Brown University are hopeful this indicates a genuine shift in the crisis, attributed to wider naloxone use, improved addiction care, increased opioid settlement funds, and fewer new users. However, new threats are emerging rapidly, with 23 novel drugs identified this year, including cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid 10 times stronger than fentanyl. Meanwhile, the Trump administrations cuts to harm reduction programs, such as test strips and clean needle programs, are causing concern, as they could potentially reverse the progress made in reducing overdose deaths.

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