"I think we need to celebrate the reduction in overall fatality but it has to be couched within this qualification that some racial groups are not experiencing a decrease in overdoses," Kebec told Salon in a phone interview. "In fact, we've been seeing an increase in overdose fatality rates, and we're also really hobbled by the data lag in getting this information."
Provisional data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that overdose deaths declined nationally by about 10% between April 2023 and April 2024. Another analysis confirmed this decline, performed by researchers at the Street Drug Analysis Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, synthesizing emergency room visits and ambulance runs along with public health data.
Even with the promising decline in overdose fatalities, those in harm reduction spaces argue that the national data does not reflect the grim reality many communities face, particularly for marginalized groups.
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