Finger on the Pulse
When the Centers for Disease Control announced a 26% decrease in overdose deaths since the peak in June 2023, the prevention community cheered—and NPR’s Brian Mann took notice.i
As Mann pointed out, “That means roughly 30,000 fewer people a year are dying. Many states are seeing even bigger improvements of 30% to 50%. In some states, progress has been sustained since 2021 and 2022, which suggests this isn’t a temporary blip.”ii Mann went on to speculate on several possible reasons for this decline—from greater access to opioid overdose reversal medications like naloxone to the reduced lethality of illicit fentanyl in the drug supply and reduced rates of youth drug use.
Another contributing factor just might be playing out in our own backyard in Orange County, Florida. According to data released by the Medical Examiner’s Office, Orange County experienced a 30% decrease in overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024. Corrections Health Services has credited this decrease to the treatment and support now being provided to incarcerated individuals through its Medication Assisted Treatment Clinic and the follow up care they receive through their Opioid Navigator program after release.iii
According to Dr. Thomas Hall, Manager for the Orange County Office for a Drug-Free Community, “People with a substance use disorder that get arrested, released, and re-arrested typically do not have a stable support system… . That can be as simple as owning a cellphone or accessing public transportation. The teams will work to help find housing, transportation, and even cellphones to re-establish a support system that will help them continue their treatment and recovery process.”iii
So, while we may not know the exact reasons for the drastic decline in overdose deaths in Orange County and across the nation, we can recognize the importance of supporting every individual no matter where they are on their journey. It takes a village.
i CDC, Provisional Data, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm
ii Brian Mann, NPR, Reporter’s Notebook: 8 Theories Why Fentanyl Deaths are Plummeting, March 2025, Fentanyl deaths are plummeting – why?
iii Orange County (FL) Government, “Opioid Overdose Deaths Decreased in Orange County for 2024,” March 25, 2025, https://newsroom.ocfl.net/media-advisories/press-releases
