Drug Policy Alliance

Overdose deaths in the United States dropped by nearly 17% between July 2023 and July 2024. However, over 93,000 people died of drug overdose in that period, more than the number of people who died from vehicle-caused accidents or firearms combined. This remains an urgent public health issue that requires evidence-based solutions. Public health interventions saved lives and must be expanded. Effective interventions include: the overdose prevention drug naloxone, expanded harm reduction services such as fentanyl test strips, increased access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and drug education based in facts, not fear.