Today the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released data showing that 67,367 people died from a drug overdose in 2018, the first time in over a decade that drug overdose deaths have declined.
Representatives of Addiction Policy Forum have issued the following statements:
"New CDC data shows we lost more than 67,000 people to drug overdoses in 2018 — 185 people a day. And while this is the first time in over a decade we’ve seen a decline in overdose deaths, — a 4% decline from the previous year— it’s still far too many. Until the number of drug overdose deaths reaches zero, we will continue to fight for evidence-based tools and resources to help patients and families in crisis."
- Jessica Hulsey Nickel, Founder, Addiction Policy Forum
“While the reduction in overdose fatalities is heartening, it is still unacceptably high. We must continue our efforts in all aspects of our fight against the opioid epidemic – prevention, intervention and treatment. I am grateful for thousands of people, including district attorneys, police and probation officers, and corrections officials, who are working tirelessly to help individuals struggling with addiction find recovery inside and outside of the criminal justice system.”
- Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, Board Chairman, Addiction Policy Forum
To learn more about how to prevent drug overdose deaths, please take a look at our Overdose Awareness Toolkit.