Overview

• Overdose deaths in the US have decreased by nearly 15% over the past year, with San Francisco recording its lowest monthly fatality count in four years.
• Widespread distribution of naloxone (Narcan) and increased access to addiction treatments like methadone and buprenorphine have been pivotal in saving lives.
• The introduction of xylazine into the drug supply has paradoxically reduced the severity of fentanyl overdoses, while also altering usage behaviors due to its side effects.
• The shrinking population of fentanyl users, driven by fatalities and a reduced willingness among younger people to initiate use, mirrors trends seen in past drug epidemics like the crack crisis.
• The end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had exacerbated overdose rates through isolation and stress, has also contributed to the decline.