Fentanyl deaths dropping significantly

[greenwellg]

One of those things that seems to be missed by news services. How many lives saved in 2025?

 

[Frailer]

I don’t think it has been “missed”; in fact, I saw a relatively long story on this subject just a few days ago on either CBS or CNN (I can’t remember which).

The primary factors seem to be the much wider availability of Narcan combined with the fact that many illicit drug suppliers have reduced the fentanyl content in their product. Apparently killing off your customer base is a bad business plan.

 

[LVSteve]

Yep, suppliers have learned to cut the product some more and NARCAN helps maintain the customer base. Big win for the narcos and the hand wringing "save lives at all costs" brigade.

 

[Bald1]

That’s it ? Really ? NARCAN and drug lords doing the right thing ? Nobody else is going to get any credit ? That’s curious

 

[New2S&W77]

I wonder if less border traffic has something to do with it? (Sarcasm Mine)

 

[Frailer]

Since fentanyl deaths peaked in June 2023 and have been declining since, I don’t think we can credit anything that may have happened in the last six months for the change.

 

[Golphin]

Since fentanyl deaths peaked in June 2023 and have been declining since, I don’t think we can credit anything that may have happened in the last six months for the change.

On June 4, 2024, Biden passed an executive order to shut down the border if illegal crossings reached an average of 2,500 migrants a day in a given week. I am sure it is a combination of several factors including less border traffic.

 

[Frailer]

I think is is well-established that fentanyl and its precursors are coming into the US primary through ports of entry (both land and sea).

 

[dockmurgw]

My vote goes to Narcan being more readily available than aspirin.

 

[Bullet Bob]

"That’s it ? Really ? NARCAN and drug lords doing the right thing ? Nobody else is going to get any credit ? That’s curious"

Partly it's that people, even heavy drug users, aren't generally that stupid. They see the effects and modify their behaviour. The same thing happened with crack cocaine when it first became popular. Fast growth, and then as people saw their neighbors going down the tubes it served as a cautionary tale which led to a decline in use - although of course different governmental agencies tried to claim most of the credit.

 

[65-2x2]

I also saw a news story about the deaths declining.

 

[Telecaster]

Still, 340,000 people died from it between ‘18 and ‘23. Far more than firearm deaths.

 

[venomballistics]

I wonder if less border traffic has something to do with it? (Sarcasm Mine)

Naw .... Can't possibly be related

 

[serger]

Well that sucks.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

The science of life