Overdose Deaths Drop Sharply in States Hard Hit by Opioid Crisis (1)

The nation’s deadly opioid epidemic shows signs of ebbing as the Trump administration Oct. 30 reported a 5.1% drop in overdose deaths, with sharper declines in some of the most hard-hit states.

The administration saw a 5.1% decrease in overdose deaths in 2018, including a 24% reduction in Ohio, 17% in Kentucky, and 9% in West Virginia, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway said in a call with reporters.

Over 72,000 people died of a drug overdose in 2017, and 40,000 of those were caused by opioid overdoses, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Curbing ...