By BRYCE SHREVE AND ERIN KELLY | KENTUCKY
KENTUCKY — The number of Kentuckians lost to drug overdose in 2022 declined by more than 5% compared to the previous year, according to a report from the Office of Drug Control Policy.
What You Need To Know
The number of Kentuckians lost to drug overdose in 2022 declined by more than 5% compared to the previous year. The report indicates that 90% of overdose deaths involved opioids, and fentanyl continues to be the most prevalent drug contributing to those deaths. Other deadly drugs detailed in the report include acetyl, fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone and morphine. Kentucky was one of the few states to record a decline in overdose deaths last year, according to the CDC.
Gov. Andy Beshear (D) released the department’s full 2022 Overdose Fatality Report on Thursday, which details the 2,135 drug overdose deaths recorded in the Commonwealth last year. Though still high, the total’s decline is the first since 2018.
“Seeing a decrease in overdose deaths is encouraging, but we still have a long way to go, because one Kentucky life lost to overdose is one too many,” Beshear said during Thursday’s Team Kentucky update.