BOSTON – Fatalities related to opioid overdoses in Massachusetts rose by 2.5% in 2022, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).
The state noted that there were 2,357 confirmed and estimated overdose-related deaths last year. At the time of the report’s publication, there had been 522 such instances in 2023; that represents a 7.7% decrease from the same time in 2022.
Plymouth County saw the second-largest increase across all Commonwealth counties, with a 14% increase in fatalities in 2022.
State officials have highlighted resources to prevent opioid overdoses. Governor Maura Healey’s budget for fiscal year 2024 features over $600 million for treatment and prevention of substance addiction, while the DPH continues to urge medical facilities to have more naloxone kits on hand along with trained staff members to administer them.
For more details on the report, visit mass.gov.
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