SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Drug overdose deaths have dropped 17% in the U.S. in just one year, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the White House it was the largest reduction in recorded overdose deaths in the country’s history.
The drop in overdose deaths nationwide happened from July of 2023 to July of 2024. Most deaths can be traced to opioids, which includes Fentanyl and prescription pain killers. Angela Kennecke, the founder of Emily’s Hope based in Sioux Falls says this is great news.
“I think this is really due to organizations and the government all working together across the country, especially in the distribution of Naloxone or Narcan getting it out there to more people I think that is why we are seeing the biggest decrease,” said Kennecke.
However, both Kennecke and Sioux Falls Police spokesman Sam Clemens say Sioux Falls is bucking the trend. Last year the city saw 16 deaths from overdoses or poisonings, this year that number has risen to 19. Clemens says there is no clear answer as to why, but there is some good news.
“The overall overdose numbers, not the people that died, but just the people that overdosed those numbers are way down. Last year we had 56 for the year this years so far we’ve got 36 overdoses,” said Clemens.
According to Kennecke South Dakota is catching up to the rest of the country when it comes to distributing Narcan and eliminating the stigma around it.
Boxes making Narcan available to the public are set up in Sioux Falls and Vermillion. This one is at the Jones building in downtown Sioux falls.
Clemens says police officers and other first responders are using more Narcan than ever before. He estimates officers will use more than 2-thousand doses by the end of this year. Emily’s hope is also making it available for friends and family of those addicted.
“With our five current boxes just here in Sioux Falls, we went through about 300 Naloxone kits, which has two doses per kit in just one month,” said Kennecke. “So we are getting it out there, we just put a box in Vermillion, we know this is going to help lower overdoses in our area, its just taking some time.”
Naloxone, also known as Narcan, reverses an overdose within two to five minutes.
Doctors say it won’t cause any harm if someone has passed out for a different reason.
Also, it will not help someone overdosing on Meth, which is still a prominent drug in the upper Midwest.
