# 160

U.S. Center for Disease Control reports that, for 2018, OD fatalities will have dropped from a high of 70,000 in 2017 to approximately 69,000.

7/18/2019, Sad statistic sees some reduction, however, below statement indicates that the "pie" is being cut a different way and some "slices" are gaining in the fatality category.

"The improvement was driven by a drop in deaths from heroin and prescription painkillers. Those falls were offset somewhat by continuing growth in deaths involving a different opioid, fentanyl, as well as other drugs such cocaine and methamphetamines. Overdose deaths often involve more than one drug."

https://twitter.com/wtop/status/1151670925571629056?s=12