In Philadelphia[1], fatal overdoses are the No. 3 cause of death[2] after heart disease and cancer. That’s been the case each year since 2016, except in 2020 and 2021 when COVID-19 deaths outpaced overdose deaths[3]. The vast majority[4] of fatal overdoses in Philly involve the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Data on overdose deaths in Philly in 2024 is not yet available. However, new research shows that drug deaths are dropping...