Drug overdoses declining across nation

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - According to preliminary data from the Center for Disease Control, fatal drug overdoses are declining.

“It gives us hope that we’re heading in the right direction,” Addiction Allies Clinical Director William Manning said.

That hope comes from new CDC data showing the number of deaths from drug overdoses dropping.

They increased during the pandemic.

Now nationwide they’re down 10% and in Virginia, it’s down 15%.

“This is a community issue,” Manning said. “Part of the reduction in the overdose numbers surely has to be more Narcan out there on the streets.”

Manning says while overdose deaths are declining, substance abuse is not.

“I don’t think we need we can rest on our laurels,” Manning said. “We need to continue to tirelessly work to help support these folks who are suffering.”

The Blue Ridge Poison Center has also been seeing a decline in overdose deaths, but like Manning, they know the risk remains.

“There’s so many new substances coming out, we can’t detect them all,” Blue Ridge Poison Center Medical Director Doctor Chris Holstege said. “Then we also remember, we have the toddler age groups who get into things, and we certainly are seeing plenty of calls in that category.”

Doctor Holstege says saving lives is a team effort.

“We really want to see again, more education out, especially to our youth, to be aware of the dangers that are out there in substances because of the contamination with other things that they may not even know that they’re getting,” Dr. Holstege said.

It’s important to note while Narcan is effective, knowing when and how to use it is the bigger issue.

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