Opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota drop by 24%, study finds
Opioid overdoses decline in Minnesota in 2024
The opioid overdose death rate in Minnesota dropped by 24.4% between 2023 and 2024 – one of the steepest declines nationwide. FOX 9’s Mike Manzoni examines the numbers.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Fewer people are dying from opioid overdoses in Minnesota, according to a new study that analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Opioid deaths drop in Minnesota
The backstory:
The opioid death rate in Minnesota fell sharply between 2023 and 2024, according to a study from the marketing firm Addiction-Rep.
The more than 24% drop comes after the number of opioid deaths steadily rose in recent years.
The drop, which amounts to 264 fewer deaths, puts Minnesota among the top-20 states with the sharpest drops in opioid deaths.
For the 12-month period ending June 2023, there were 1,114 opioid deaths in Minnesota. In June 2024, that number had dropped to 850.
Naloxone availability, decline in heroin
Factors in the drop:
Dr. Tyler Winkelman, an addiction specialist with Hennepin Healthcare, said the availability of naloxone, which rapidly reverses the effects of opioids, and a decline in heroin use have contributed to the downturn in opioid deaths.
What they're saying:
"A lot of work has gone into expanding treatment for opioid-use disorders, increasing access to methadone and buprenorphine," Winkelman told FOX 9. "More communities are also distributing Narcan across their communities to reverse overdoses when they’re happening."
Minneapolis debuts Narcan vending machine in 2024
What happened:
The City of Minneapolis unveiled a Narcan vending machine at a South Minneapolis fire station in July 2024. The machine, which is open 24 hours a day, dispenses free boxes of the leading brand of naloxone.
Minneapolis installs first Narcan vending machine
The City of Minneapolis is installing its first-ever naloxone vending machine in an attempt to battle opioid-related deaths in the area.
By the numbers:
Like many cities throughout the country, Minneapolis has struggled with the opioid epidemic in recent years.
In 2022, the city had nearly a quarter of the state’s opioid deaths despite making up 8% of its population.
Opioid deaths in the city started to tick upward in 2019, when 86 people died, up from 74 the previous year.
The numbers continued to climb until 2022, when 231 people died.
The increase in deaths citywide mirrored statewide trends.
In 2019, deaths jumped to 427, up from 343 the prior year.
The number of overdose deaths more than doubled by 2022, when 1,002 people died.