NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday.
Agency officials noted the data is provisional and could change after more analysis, but that they still expect a drop when the final counts are in. It would be only the second annual decline since the current national drug death epidemic began more than three decades ago.
Experts reacted cautiously. One described the decline as relatively small, and said it should be thought more as part of a leveling off than a decrease. Another noted that the last time a decline occurred — in 2018 — drug deaths shot up in the years that followed.
“Any decline is encouraging,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends. “But I think it’s certainly premature to celebrate or to draw any large-scale conclusions about where we may be headed long-term with this crisis.”
Medics remove 150 MAGGOTS from a woman's mouth after dental procedure left her with rotting tissue
Khloe Kardashian takes True and Tatum to see dad Tristan Thompson play for the FIRST TIME
Father's quick reactions save the day as he catches baby daughter when she falls out of her pram
Tiffany Haddish reveals if she's bothered by ex
Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 26
Biden's 102% tariff on Chinese EVs adds to tensions with Beijing
Demi Moore, 61, beams as she leaves the Gucci Cruise show with Nikolai von Bismarck
Inquiry slams UK authorities for failures that killed thousands in infected blood scandal
What Joan Rivers would have REALLY said about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
Adams, Reyna, Turner, Ream are US concerns ahead of Copa America
Antiques Roadshow guest is left stunned at his 'over the top' belt buckle's shocking real price