Substantial Reduction in New York State Overdose Deaths

Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted new provisional figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics System, which show a substantial reduction in overdose deaths in New York State from 2022 through 2025. The annual number of drug fatalities fell for a third year in a row and decreased by 44.9% in New York. That’s more than 5,000 lives saved. The largest reductions were seen in opioid-related deaths, which are down 51.9% since 2022.

“As Governor, I have been committed to reversing the opioid and overdose epidemic by making historic investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and Recovery services and supports,” Governor Hochul said. “I am very pleased that over the past three years, we have seen a decline in overall overdose deaths. However, the hard work continues. We will continue our focus on removing health disparities and responding to new substances that are emerging in the illicit drug supply. Every overdose that occurs is one too many and addressing these public health challenges requires an ongoing and dynamic response.”

New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s dedication and leadership, and working with our partner agencies and stakeholders, OASAS has been able to significantly expand our entire range of services, including the successful Harm Reduction Delivered initiative, that provides life-saving supplies directly to the homes of New Yorkers. This critical work remains ongoing, to build on the progress made, and to ensure that overdose rates continue to decline in all communities across NYS. We are grateful for the Governor’s unwavering commitment to addressing this issue.

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Source: The Office of the Governor

Image source: Public Domain