Utah has the nation’s 4th highest decrease in drug overdose deaths

Fentanyl resulting in local overdose cases has been found in counterfeit pills similar to those pictured.

Drug overdose deaths in this country are now at an all time high, but in Utah there has been a seven percent decrease in drug-related overdose deaths and that is the fourth highest decrease nationwide.

Nick VinZant, a senior research analyst and insurance expert, said that since the country has moved away from height of the pandemic Utah has gone back to where it was before.

“And that’s why we have seen the decreases in Utah,” VinZant said, “where in other states we have continued to see increases that have been much more of a pronounced problem with drug overdoses.”

He said of all the leading causes of injury death in Utah, poisoning — which includes drugs overdoses — is number one. And nationally it has become a big problem.

“In the last 12 months there have been almost 110,000 deaths — the exact number is 107,477,” VinZant explained. “So, we have seen a nearly 50 percent increase in the number of overdose deaths. And in the last two years, this has been something that public health officials and public officials have been very cognizant of.

“They know that this is a problem. And state and health departments have taken huge measures to try to get ahead of it. And it hasn’t worked.”

Combined, opioids account for nearly 70 percent of overdose deaths in America.

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