ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a decrease in the number of fatal overdoses across the country and in New York state.

What You Need To Know

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a decrease in the number of fatal overdoses across the country and in the New York

  • They report a decrease of 5.17% in overdose deaths statewide

  • Some areas, including Erie County, are still seeing increases in overdoses

Like the rest of the country, the increase in the number of overdoses has skyrocketed in New York state in recent decades.

But there’s new data that just could be a sign of hope in the midst of the national, state and local crisis.

"You look at what a lot of the organizations throughout our community have done, not only are they educating people on the streets, they’re out there every day going to the hot spots,” said Deputy Michael Favata of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Heroin Task Force.

The task force and boots-on-the-ground organizations across the state, along with Narcan availability, may be making a difference.

“They’re going right to the heart of it and they’re trying to get these people help,” said Favata.

Here’s the breakdown of the numbers for New York state:

“Health.ny.gov reports the percentage of opioid deaths in New York State rose from 2,166 in 2015 to 5,017 in 2021. Then the following two years, the CDC cites a decrease in opioid deaths. In 2022, there were 3,401 overdoses in the state, excluding New York City. In 2023, 3,225 overdoses — a decrease that amounts to 5.17%.”

Some health professionals say it’s too soon to know the reasons for the decrease and if it’s a trend that will continue. The CDC says it’s cautious about the data, saying it does not include an unknown number of underreported cases due to incomplete data.

One example is Erie County.

“In the CDC data, they point out that not every state is experiencing a decrease in drug overdoses," Erie County Commissioner of Health Gale Burstein said. "So, the decrease is not universal across the United States. Like in Erie County, we’re not the only area of the country that is experiencing increasing."

She offers thoughts on why that may be the case.

“First of all, we have a new demographic," Burstein said. "There’s a new population that are becoming victims to these drug overdoses. Before the pandemic we used to see a young population. Now we’re seeing an older population. People my age, people in their 50s, 60s [and] 70s that are succumbing. Also, we’re seeing more of a racially diverse population. Before the pandemic, it was primarily white. Now we’re seeing a much higher percentage of people of color.”

Burstein says the Buffalo area is also seeing an increased use of cocaine and cocaine laced with fentanyl contributing to the overdose problem.

While the CDC notes that while the data is provisional and could change with more analysis, a drop in the number of overdoses is still expected in the end.