Feb 25, 2025 - Health
Fatal drug overdoses are declining in Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania's fatal drug overdose rate plummeted by more than 9% in 2023 from the previous year, per new CDC data.
The big picture: Overdose deaths seem to be falling across the country as pandemic-era isolation ebbs and access to life-saving medications like Naloxone grows.
- Nationwide, the fatal drug overdose rate fell 4% from 2022 to 2023, despite major increases in states out West and up in Alaska.
By the numbers: The Keystone State's fatal drug overdose rate dipped to 37.1 per 100,000 people in 2023, CDC data shows.
- Of the the 4,720 overdose deaths, Black Pennsylvanians continue to be disproportionately affected, per preliminary data.
Zoom in: Philadelphia saw a 7% drop in drug overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023 — the first decline in five years.
- Yes, but: The 1,315 deaths still marked Philly's second-highest total.
- Plus: Overdose deaths are the third leading cause of death among city residents, per preliminary city data.