Data shows first sustained annual decrease in opioid overdose deaths since 2019
New data from the Vermont Dept. of Health shows a significant decline in opioid overdose deaths last year. According to the newly-released Fatal Opioid Overdoses Among Vermonters report, 183 Vermonters died from an opioid-related overdose in 2024, a 22% decrease from 2023 when 236 people died. This marks the second consecutive year of a decline in overdose deaths, after a slight drop in 2023.
“We’re grateful to see this decline,” said Health Dept. Deputy Commissioner Kelly Dougherty, who oversees Vermont’s substance use programs. “At the same time, people are still dying due to opioid overdose, and we must not forget the lasting impact these losses have on families and communities. We must continue strengthening our partnerships and systems of care to respond to these challenges.”
While fatal overdoses involving fentanyl decreased by 25% between 2022 and 2024, fentanyl continues to be the No. 1 substance involved in opioid-related deaths, accounting for 93% of opioid fatalities in 2024. Cocaine involvement in deaths increased significantly — from 60% in 2023 to 70% in 2024 — and remains the second most common drug involved in fatal overdoses. Xylazine was involved in 42% of fatal overdoses in 2024, up from 32% in 2023.
Vermont last saw a significant decrease in opioid fatalities in 2019, when 115 people died, down from 131 in 2018. However, the Covid-19 pandemic increased many risks related to substance use disorder, including isolation, unemployment and health disparities, leading to record numbers of deaths — 244 in 2022 alone.
The 2024 decrease also aligns with national trends: on May 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a nearly 27% decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024, the steepest such drop since 2020.
While the factors contributing to this decline are complex, public health efforts that support prevention, treatment and recovery are helping save lives. This includes strategies such as offering fentanyl test strips and the statewide naloxone distribution program, which helps ensure people have access to life-saving medication. The Health Dept. distributed more than 70,000 doses of naloxone to community partners in 2024.
The Health Department said the new overdose data reflects the work of a vast network of partners across the state to expand access to community-level prevention, recovery and treatment services, including through the hub-and-spoke system of care and its strong foundation among Vermont’s primary care providers. While there is still more work to be done, health officials thanked primary care providers, other clinical providers, syringe services providers, recovery resources, public safety and EMS responders and other health care partners for their vital role in this work.
Officials also emphasized that outreach and resources remain critical through campaigns such as KnowOD, and VTHelplink, a free and confidential support and referral service, available 24/7.
“Vermont’s communities know the lasting toll the opioid epidemic has taken in our state,” Interim Health Commissioner Julie Arel said. “Seeing this decline in overdose deaths is heartening, but we can’t take our foot off the gas. We must continue to make our systems of prevention, treatment and recovery stronger so that we can meet the needs of people struggling with substance use disorder and build safer, healthier communities for all.”
