A new analysis exploring opioid fatalities by state highlights which areas are experiencing the steepest declines—and where the epidemic continues to outpace progress.
Using the latest data from the CDC, researchers calculated the percentage change in the opioid-related death rate for each state between the 12-month period ending in June 2024 and the 12-month period ending in June 2023.
Key Takeaways, With Data for New York State
- Opioid Fatalities on the Decline: Opioid-related deaths peaked in mid-2023 at 85,387 deaths in the 12-month period ending in July 2023. Deaths have since declined to 71,484 by June 2024, marking a 16% drop.
- The Toll of Synthetic Opioids: Synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, remain the leading cause of opioid-related fatalities, though deaths from these drugs declined nearly 20% year-over-year from June 2023 to June 2024.
- Heroin’s Rapid Decline: Heroin-related deaths have fallen dramatically over the past five years, dropping from 14,743 in 2019 to 3,242 in 2024—a decline of nearly 80%.
- Men Disproportionately Affected: Men continue to account for the majority of opioid-related deaths, but fatality rates for both men and women declined by nearly 19% year-over-year.
- The Opioid Crisis in New York State: In the 12 months ending in June 2023, New York State saw 28.8 opioid-related deaths per 100,000 residents. By June 2024, this figure had dropped to 22.9, representing a year-over-year decline of 20.5%.
The full report covers all 44 states with complete data available and the District of Columbia, with a detailed breakdown of opioid-related death rates and year-over-year changes for each location.