Drug overdose deaths drop in Pennsylvania
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Drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania dropped 31% last year, per preliminary CDC data.
Why it matters: Fatal overdoses initially rose during the COVID pandemic, but have been falling since 2023.
The big picture: The opioid crisis has hit Pennsylvania hard over the past decade. In 2017, the state saw 5,456 overdose deaths — third highest in the U.S. — with fentanyl driving deaths in nearly every county.
- Allegheny County alone recorded over 800 overdose deaths that year.
By the numbers: 3,358 Pennsylvania residents died from drug overdoses in 2024, the CDC estimates.
- That's a 31% drop from the 4,870 deaths in 2023.
- Meanwhile, Allegheny County recorded 405 fatal overdoses last year — down from 665 in 2023.
Between the lines: The drop in overdose deaths is partly due to the wider availability of naloxone, which reverses an opioid overdose, per CBS News, alongside harm reduction strategies.
- Narcan, the best-known version of the drug, was made available over the counter in 2023.
- Other factors contributing to the decline could include increased availability of paper test strips that detect fentanyl in illicit or counterfeit drugs.
- There are also more opioid treatment programs or providers of buprenorphine, a treatment that reduces the risk of future overdoses.
Zoom in: Allegheny County last week announced $20 million in new opioid settlement spending to support medication access, mobile wound care units and recovery housing.
- The county expects $7.2 million annually from Pennsylvania's $1 billion, 18-year settlement.
What they're saying: "Overdose deaths on a decline are a turning point, a test of our collective will and a rare opportunity to build momentum to avoid preventable deaths of Allegheny County residents," said Dr. Iulia Vann, director of the Allegheny County Health Department.
Zoom out: Drug overdose deaths nationwide dropped last year to their lowest annual level since 2019, per the CDC, Axios' Rebecca Falconer reports.
- Almost all states saw decreases, with Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C., experiencing declines of 35% or more.
Yes, but: Overdose is still the leading cause of death among Americans 18-44.
What to watch: Experts warn a Trump administration budget proposal that would cut health services threatens this decline.