Deaths from opioid overdoses decrease in Massachusetts

In the US state of Massachusetts, deaths from opioids have decreased by about 10% year-on-year, although opioid-related deaths are still above the state’s historical average.

On Monday, Massachusetts reported that about 1,470 people died due to opioid overdoses during the first nine months of 2017. While the number is greater than the total annual deaths in 2014, it is lower than the estimated 1,637 overdose deaths between January and September 2016.

”This new report shows some trend lines that are moving in the right direction as we work to fight the opioid and heroin epidemic in Massachusetts, but there are still too many people dying from overdoses,” said Gov. Charlie Baker in a statement. ”Our administration will continue efforts to combat this public health epidemic that is devastating families in every corner of the Commonwealth, and looks forward to introducing new proposals in the near future and working with the Legislature to pass meaningful reform to strengthen our efforts from prevention to recovery.”

This is the second quarterly report on opioid-related deaths recording a year-on-year decrease in overdoses, signalling that the opioid fever in Massachusetts may be starting to break. If the trend holds, the state will record its first decline in overdose deaths since 2010.

The report noted that the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, continues to be the leading cause of overdose deaths in the state. Fentanyl is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin and has become popular because of its high potency and low cost.