NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday. Agency officials noted the data is provisional and could change after more analysis, but that they still expect a drop when the final counts are in. It would be only the second annual decline since the current national drug death epidemic began more than three decades ago. Experts reacted cautiously. One described the decline as relatively small, and said it should be thought more as part of a leveling off than a decrease. Another noted that the last time a decline occurred — in 2018 — drug deaths shot up in the years that followed. “Any decline is encouraging,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends. “But I think it’s certainly premature to celebrate or to draw any large-scale conclusions about where we may be headed long-term with this crisis.” |
Bloody brawl breaks out at Massachusetts courthouse between families of 36Biden keeps quiet as protesters and police clash on college campusesSay hello (again) to EA Sports College Football. The beloved videoZelensky, NATO chief meet on aid for UkrainePhillies strike out 18 times, but beat Angels 2Indonesia eye Thomas Cup title after beating ThailandNetanyahu vows to invade Rafah 'with or without a deal'China storm into Thomas & Uber Cup quarters as group leadersOla Jordan shares throwback swimwear snap and admits she's 'panicking about bikini season'F1 STEM event aims to excite Shanghai's youth in science and tech