[Infographic] Monthly Overdose Deaths by State, January 2020 to August 2024

Overdose deaths have quietly declined in nearly all states for years, and 19 have returned close to pre-pandemic baseline. But improvements have been uneven. <strong>Too many people we love are still dying.</strong> To understand what&rsquo;s working and who is left behind, we must understand when and where declines started. When did overdose declines start? This infographic from the Opioid Data Lab displays sparklines showing that overdoses started <strong>declining in 2022-23</strong>. There is a distinct <strong>east-to-west pattern</strong> across the Untied States. Python code for recreating the analysis, and Adobe Illustrator file for layout are provided. All files are licensed for reuse. Measurement: 12-month cumulative (smoothed) predicted values, z-score normalized. Ordered roughly east to west. Data pedigree: Local medical examiners &amp; coroners &gt; state health departments &gt; CDC public API &gt; UNC Opioid Data Lab <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm">Data source</a>: CDC Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts, accessed January 10, 2025. &nbsp;