New figures released Thursday by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health show opioid-related overdose deaths in Haverhill dropped from 33 in 2021 to 21 a year later, while Methuen increased from 12 to 13 and Lawrence rose from 48 to 58 during the same period.
Officials highlighted Haverhill for its drop in deaths and Lawrence for its increase as overall figures show a statewide death rate increase of 2.5%. Rates among Black, non-Hispanic residents, made up the largest increase, according to preliminary data.
North Andover dropped from six to five deaths.
There were 2,357 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022, surpassing the previous peak in 2021 by an estimated 57 deaths. Preliminary data also show there were 522 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths in the first three months of 2023, a 7.7% decrease, or an estimated 44 fewer deaths, from the same time period in 2022.
Among non-Hispanic Black residents, opioid-related overdose deaths increased by 42%, from 36.4 to 51.7 deaths per 100,000 residents from 2021 to 2022. When broken down by sex, the data show that non-Hispanic Black men had the highest opioid-related overdose death rate increase among males in all race/ethnicity groups, from 56.4 to 79.6 per 100,000—a 41% increase. The rate for non-Hispanic Black women increased by 47 percent, from 17.4 to 25.5 per 100,000.
Gov. Maura Healey said her administration’s proposed spending plan invests more than $600 million for substance addiction prevention and treatment programs, including money for expanding outpatient services, increasing access to crisis stabilization services in communities and emergency departments and strengthening the continuum of care in inpatient settings.
“As attorney general, I made combatting the opioid crisis a top priority, and that commitment continues as governor while we work to provide individuals and communities with the support they need for treatment, prevention and recovery,” said Healey. “Too many Massachusetts families, particularly families of color, have been impacted by this crisis, and in order to effectively respond, we need to address the gaps in the system by advancing long-term solutions that include housing, jobs, mental health care and more resources for our cities and towns.”
“The increase in opioid-related overdose deaths is a tragedy and alarming,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein. “We know overdose deaths are preventable. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on mental health and substance use, especially among marginalized communities. We are working to reverse these troubling trends by continuing to build on our data-driven and equity-based approaches toward responsive support and treatment.”