Drug overdose deaths in Los Angeles County last year declined 22% from the previous year, according to the latest report from the Department of Public Health. The number reflects the most significant drop in county history. The number of overdose deaths fell from 3,137 in 2023 to 2,438 in 2024 according to the report, which is based on data from the Medical Examiner. The plunge is led by an extraordinary 37% decrease in fentanyl-related deaths, the first recorded decrease since county officials began testing for the drug.From 2016 to 2022, accidental fentanyl overdose and poisoning deaths in LA County surged 1,652%, mirroring a nationwide trend of increasing fentanyl deaths. For the better part of the past decade, public health officials in the county and nationwide have been sounding the alarm over this growing crisis.The report attributes the improvements in the crisis to county investments in overdose prevention, harm reduction methods and expanded treatment plans.
“The recent decline in overdose deaths across Los Angeles County is a hopeful sign that our shared commitment to saving lives is having an impact,” Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “While we are encouraged by this trend, we know the work is far from over.” Adults between the ages of 26 and 39 had the highest rates of fentanyl deaths out of any age group. Men made up the vast majority of fentanyl overdose deaths. According to data in the report, for every one woman who dies of a fentanyl overdose, four men die of the same cause. Though drug overdose and poisoning deaths threaten people across socioeconomic lines, health officials note that less-affluent Angelenos face heightened risk. In neighborhoods where over 30% of families were below the federal poverty line, the rate of fentanyl overdose deaths was four times higher than in neighborhoods where less than 10% were below the poverty line. Black residents are also disproportionately affected, making up 19% of fentanyl deaths in 2024 despite accounting for only 8% of the population.
“This underscores the urgent need for continued investments in equitable public health strategies, especially those led by and in partnership with trusted community organizations,” said Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell in a statement. In an interview with ABC7, Dr. Gary Tsai, Director of L.A. County’s Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Bureau, credits much of the improvement to an increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, known as Narcan.Other county public health officials concur with the belief that the expansion of Narcan and fentanyl testing kits have played a key role in curbing the crisis. They also credit Los Angeles County’s recent increased investment in prevention, treatment, and harm reduction initiatives.Such initiatives include the Fentanyl Frontline, a multimedia campaign intended to increase the awareness and use of the life-saving drug naloxone, as well as the community-powered website byLAforLA.org, connecting Angelenos to harm reduction efforts being led across the county…