PA Overdose Deaths: See Latest CDC Numbers Here

PENNSYLVANIA — Mirroring a national trend, overdose deaths in Pennsylvania have dramatically declined according to the statistics released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Pennsylvania's overdose deaths declined from 5,032 to 3,602 for the 12-month period ending in September 2024, a 28 percent decrease.The CDC did not provide a county-by-county breakdown of the deaths.

The only states with larger percentage declines were North Carolina (54 percent, 4,037 to 1,847), Virginia (35 percent, 2,562 to 1,655), Ohio (31 percent, 5,113 to 3,498, Arkansas (30 percent, 552-383) and Oklahoma (30 percent, 1,280 to 889).

Only five states —Alaska, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Utah— experienced increases in overdose deaths.

Nationally, the CDC said there has been a nearly 24 percent decline in drug overdose deaths for the 12-month period based on current available data, which shows about 87,000 overdose deaths compared to around 114,000 the previous year. That's the fewest overdose deaths in any 12-month period since June 2020.

"It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year," Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, said in a statement.

"That's more than 70 lives saved every day. CDC's public health investments, our improved data and laboratory systems for overdose response, and our partnerships with public safety colleagues in every state mean that we are more rapidly identifying emerging drug threats and supporting public health prevention and response activities in communities across America."

While the CDC called the national overdose decline "encouraging news," overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44.

The CDC said multiple factors contributed to the drop in fatal overdoses, including widespread n distribution of naloxone, a medication that can reverse an overdose; better access to evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders; shifts in illegal drug supplies and a resumption of prevention and response after pandemic-related disruptions.