Drug-related overdose deaths in Los Angeles County fell by 22% in 2024, marking the largest annual decline on record, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The county saw overdose deaths drop from 3,137 in 2023 to 2,438 last year, the lowest number recorded since 2019.
The data, collected by the county’s Department of Medical Examiner and analyzed by the Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, also shows a 37% reduction in fentanyl-related fatalities and a 20% decline in methamphetamine-related deaths compared with 2023…