Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to kill thousands of people in the U.S.
Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control predicts 107,735 overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in July 2022.
According to Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the data represents a decrease in 12-month rolling totals for the fourth month in a row.
Gupta adds that the data also shows a "steady slowing of the rate of increase in overdose deaths for the ninth month in a row."
“While we continue to see a flattening in overdose deaths, the Biden-Harris Administration remains focused on getting more people with addiction connected to the care they need, preventing fatal overdoses with naloxone, stopping illicit fentanyl from moving into communities, and going after drug traffickers’ profits through targeted sanctions,” said Gupta said.
The White House launched a dashboard this week that tracks non-fatal overdose deaths. Gupta says non-fatal overdose deaths are a predictor of future fatal overdoses. He added that the dashboard is another tool for medical professionals and policymakers to use to beat the overdose epidemic.
The Biden administration notes that it is taking other actions to help prevent overdose deaths. Between August 2021 and July 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reportedly seized more than 270,000 pounds of illicit drugs coming into the country. The DEA estimates that's a loss of nearly $3 billion for drug producers and traffickers.