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Preliminary statewide data from 2018 shows decline in opioid deaths

Officials say that while these numbers are promising, overdose rates remain at historic highs.

Preliminary 2018 statewide data show a 17 percent decrease in opioid deaths, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

The death numbers went from 733 in 2017 to 607 in 2018.

Officials say that while these numbers are promising, overdose rates remain at historic highs.

There has been a decrease in heroin deaths and deaths that involved prescription opioids. But there is an increase in deaths related to synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

“It’s encouraging to see this turn-around in the trend in 2018 as Minnesota has implemented a broad range of efforts to prevent opioid misuse and combat the overdose crisis,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. “This is good news, but we want to emphasize that this is still preliminary data and that overdose deaths continue to remain at historic highs. There is still much work that needs to be done to end this crisis and mitigate its effects.”

Read the Preliminary 2018 Drug Overdose Deaths (PDF) report on the MDH Opioid Dashboard. Visit the Opioid Dashboard to learn more about overdose data, opioid emergency response, lifesaving naloxone and preventing the demand for drugs.

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