Friend,
Behind every overdose death is someone’s child, partner, friend… loved one. In 2023 alone, there were 107,543 deaths. And to date, the United States has lost over one million lives to drug overdose during this crisis.
Drug overdoses have affected all communities across the United States. Yet there are notable racial and ethnic disparities that have emerged over the past 25 years, even though people of all races and ethnicities use drugs at similar rates. Racism, lack of access to treatment and services, targeted drug enforcement, and stigma are some of the most common factors contributing to these tragic losses in our communities.
Our elected leaders must recognize and take seriously these racial disparities in overdose deaths. Understanding them can help inform effective, lifesaving policy solutions.
We have developed three new fact sheets that describe overdose death trends among Black, Latinx, and Native American communities. They also provide policy recommendations and strategies for how our elected officials can save lives.
Read and share the fact sheets now:
