COLUMBUS, Ohio — Drug overdose deaths are on the decline in Ohio, according to new data from the state's Department of Health.
Gov. Mike DeWine, Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, and others held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the results of the annual Ohio Unintentional Drug Overdose report. The numbers show 4,452 people in the state died from unintentional overdoses in 2023, a 9% drop from the year before and a 14% decline from the 2021 peak of 5,174.
During his remarks Wednesday, DeWine credited his administration's efforts to stem the rising tide of drug abuse largely brought on by the opioid epidemic. The overall two-year decline of 14% also far outpaces the national average of less than 1%, with overdose deaths in the United States finally falling in 2023 for the first time in five years.
"When I became Governor in 2019, I made fighting drug addiction and preventing overdose deaths one of my administration’s top priorities," DeWine said Wednesday. "This new data shows that Ohio is on the right track, and the numbers have been getting more encouraging each of the past few years. But we also recognize that our work is far from complete — that every overdose death remains a tragedy. These results further sharpen our resolve to continue our fight to save more lives."
The number of 2023 overdose deaths is actually the lowest since DeWine's first year as governor in 2019. After steadily increasing from 2014-17, such deaths saw a brief decline in 2018 before rising to their 2021 peak in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ODH's data shows opioids still make up 82% of overdose deaths in Ohio, with fentanyl being the main culprit. While fentanyl overdose deaths are down 16% since 2021, the drug still killed 3,486 people in 2023.
One drug that has seen an apparent decline in its lethalness is heroin. In 2016, 1,444 Ohioans died from heroin overdoses, but in 2023 that number was just 75, a drop of 95% and the lowest figure on record from the Department of Health.
However, the report wasn't all good news, particularly when it comes to cocaine. In 2014, cocaine played a role in the deaths of 517 Ohioans, but nine years later the number more than tripled to 1,738. That accounts for 39% of all unintentional overdose deaths in the state, meaning opioids such as fentanyl likely played a role in at least some of them too.
Despite this, officials are focusing on the overall decline, especially last year. In the final three months of 2023 alone, overdose deaths were under 1,000, a 24% drop from the second quarter of the year six months prior.
Still, state leaders know the job isn't done.
"Despite the progress we've made in reducing overdose deaths, far too many Ohioans are still losing their lives, and many of these overdoses are preventable," Vanderhoff said. "I urge every Ohioan to obtain naloxone (Narcan) and learn how to use it. It's a simple step that saves lives."
You can read the report below.