Massachusetts opioid overdose deaths down 36% in 2024

Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald on Jul 10, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Opioid related overdose deaths fell 36% in Massachusetts in 2024, reaching their lowest point since 2013, according to provisional CDC data.

In 2024, Massachusetts had 1,340 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths, down 764 from 2023, the federal data showed.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the reduction in fatal overdoses is likely contributed to by significant investments to expand access to services. The department cited housing programs for people with a substance use disorder, increased access to opioid use disorder medications and community-based services like Peer Recovery Support Centers.

In the last year, DPH said they distributed over 500,000 fentanyl test strip kits and nearly 200,000 naloxone kits to community organizations across the state. The naloxone kits contributed to the reversal of at least 7,500 overdoses in 2024, the department stated.

The decline continues a downward trend across the state from 2023, when opioid overdose deaths saw their largest decline in over two decades. In 2022, opioid-related overdose deaths were still increasing across the state.

The statewide trend mirrors similar declines on the Boston and national levels.

In 2024, the CDC reported a nearly 27% decrease in drug overdose deaths across the U.S. from the previous year, the “the largest one-year decline ever recorded.”

In Boston, opioid-related overdose deaths fell an even steeper 38% in 2024, according to the Boston Public Health Commission.

The downward trend comes as the opioid drug supply continues to be “heavily contaminated” with fentanyl, DPH said, noting that the synthetic drug is present in about 92% of all fatal opioid-related overdoses when toxicology was available.

Across Massachusetts, the opioid overdose deaths are down across all demographics, DPH said. However, the department said, they’re continuing to address disparities impacting communities of color.

DPH noted they’ve distributed $2.9 million in grants to 20 organizations led by people of color to address substance use in the communities.

The department said, despite the “encouraging” reductions in overdose deaths, continued support is needed to keep addressing harms of stimulants, alcohol use, and other substances.

Massachusetts also saw a downward trend in all drug overdose deaths, which fell 11% in 2024 compared to a 3% drop nationwide. DPH noted that cocaine-related overdose deaths decreased by a slower rate, 31.2%, in 2024.

_____