CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — A study says that West Virginia had among the highest drop in overdose deaths in the past year, but for its size, West Virginia’s number is still extremely high.
The number of overdose deaths has increased nationwide—by as much as 23% in some states in the past year, according to QuoteWizard. West Virginia’s overdose deaths have actually gone down by 11%, according to the study, but based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), West Virginia had by far the highest overdose rate in 2020, 81.4 per 100,000 people, which was almost 30 people more than any other state.
Even with an 11% decrease, in 2022 and a 4% decrease in 2021, according to the CDC, West Virginia still tops to charts for most overdose deaths per population after a more than 54% spike in deaths in 2019-2020.
QuoteWizard said that in the past year, 1,398 overdose deaths were reported in West Virginia, 70% of which were opioids and synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. According to the CDC, overdose deaths increased drastically in the past few years, with fewer than 100,000 reported nationally in 2016 to more than 220,000 in 2022.
Anyone who is struggling with substance use or abuse can call the national confidential Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357.
