The total deaths from drug abuse dropped steeply in 2024, according to an article last week in the Washington Post, which reported that “An estimated 80,391 people died from drugs in 2024, a decrease of nearly 27 percent from the previous year, according to provisional state data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths from synthetic opioids — chiefly fentanyl, which has fueled the overdose crisis during the past decade — played a role in the majority of drug deaths but tumbled by nearly 28,000 fatalities, the estimates show.”

That’s the good news but the bad news, according to a recent National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Report is that drug abuse remains an alarmingly significant cause of preventable deaths  in the United States, and “the crisis persists and continues to evolve as new substances emerge (and) states continue to consider strategies that address drug threats and reduce overdose mortality.” 

Fortunately, there are a number of steps states can take to help continue the downward trend. A number are included in the NCSL Report including: 

• The appropriate use of naloxone, which is a medication that reverses overdoses when administered quickly enough. All fifty states allow people to access this life-saving medication, and some “ require law enforcement officers and first responders to carry naloxone and provide them with training on its use. Others mandate its availability in schools, colleges, libraries and other public venues.” 

• The expansion of Syringe Service Programs, which provide access to clean hypodermic needles for people who use drugs. According to the NCSL, “Some states, like Delaware, have legislation legalizing SSPs, while others, like Kentucky, rely on local policies to operate. The workforce plays a critical role in distributing sterile syringes, providing education and connecting individuals to care.  California extended the authority of pharmacists and physicians to sell syringes without a prescription.”

• Expansion of drug checking equipment, including testing strips for some of the most deadly drugs can help drug users identify “harmful adulterants” in drugs which enables them to reduce the risk of overuse.   In fact, reports the NCSL, “Illinois allows county health departments to distribute fentanyl test strips for free and allows pharmacies to sell them over the counter. Oklahoma exempted drug testing strips from its drug paraphernalia laws, thus decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, xylazine testing strips, and any other testing strips.”

• Of continuing importance are Drug Awareness Campaigns and Education. “Since the onset of the overdose epidemic,” according to the NCSL, “several states have established and launched educational campaigns that aim to raise awareness about drug misuse, provide education and reduce stigma. Treatment is available for substance use disorders, but stigma can prevent people from seeking or receiving help. In recent years, at least nine states have launched campaigns focused on fentanyl awareness and at least nine states have enacted legislation to provide drug education in grades K-12. These efforts aim to equip communities with knowledge and resources needed to prevent overdoses and address impacts of substance use.”

• Treatment Initiation in Emergency Departments can be a big help.. Patients who were treated in an emergency department were twice as likely to further seek treatment for their drug-related issues, according to a 2015 JAMA study.  As the NLC report indicates, “recent legislative efforts reflect a growing trend toward requiring or encouraging emergency departments to provide treatment information. Massachusetts funded a pilot program to test emergency department-initiated treatments like buprenorphine and naltrexone. Similarly, Kentucky mandated that emergency departments inform overdose patients of the availability of treatment services.  

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