NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday.
Agency officials noted the data is provisional and could change after more analysis, but that they still expect a drop when the final counts are in. It would be only the second annual decline since the current national drug death epidemic began more than three decades ago.
Experts reacted cautiously. One described the decline as relatively small, and said it should be thought more as part of a leveling off than a decrease. Another noted that the last time a decline occurred — in 2018 — drug deaths shot up in the years that followed.
“Any decline is encouraging,” said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends. “But I think it’s certainly premature to celebrate or to draw any large-scale conclusions about where we may be headed long-term with this crisis.”
Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf is spotted on the streets of Gavin and Stacey's hometown Barry
Baidu strongly denies rumor of link between its AI tool and China’s military research
Scientists identify new method of extracting chemicals from wastewater
In pics: Wudongde hydropower station in SW China
Storms damage homes in Oklahoma and Kansas. But in Houston, most power is restored
Chinese companies set new digging record in tunnelling projects in Nepal
Unfazed by danger and power, Guatemalan cardinal keeps up fight for migrants and the poor
China accelerates building of new quality productive forces
Elon Musk gets approval from FDA to implant his Neuralink brain chip into a second patient
Tiger Woods hints at an end to bitter PGA
Ohio judge to rule Monday on whether the state’s abortion ban stands
AI tech helps in early detection of pancreatic cancer