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The Conversation
The Conversation
Kate Kilpatrick, Philadelphia Editor

Fewer deaths, new substances and evolving treatments in Philly’s opioid epidemic − 4 essential reads

Opioid overdose deaths in Philly dropped in 2023. Data for 2024 has not yet been released. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation U.S., CC BY-NC-SA

In Philadelphia, fatal overdoses are the No. 3 cause of death after heart disease and cancer. That’s been the case each year since 2016, except in 2020 and 2021 when COVID-19 deaths outpaced overdose deaths. The vast majority of fatal overdoses in Philly involve the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Data on overdose deaths in Philly in 2024 is not yet available. However, new research shows that drug deaths are dropping in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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