US drug overdose deaths slightly increased in 2022, CDC says

By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. rose slightly in 2022. That makes it the first year without a substantial increase since 2018. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the numbers plateaued for most of last year. New estimates from the CDC show about nearly 110,000 U.S. overdose deaths last year. That’s nearly 2% more than 2021. Eight states that have had some of the highest overdose death rates saw sizable decreases. But experts caution that overdose deaths could rise again due to things like scaling back telehealth services.