Palm Beach County has begun 2025 with another sharp decrease in opioid deaths following the crisis peaked in 2017, officials announced Wednesday.
The local drop-off comes amid a national plunge. According to newly compiled data from the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office, opioid overdose deaths surged in 2017, then began to decrease. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of deaths decreased by over 40%, said Mike Jachles, a spokesperson for Riviera Beach Police. By the first two quarters of 2025, the number of deaths since 2022 had decreased even further, by 64%.
Officials announced the results at a news conference Wednesday outside of the Palm Beach County courthouse. Attendees included Riviera Beach Police Chief Michael Coleman, who also chairs the county’s Law Enforcement Planning Council, State Attorney Alexcia Cox, Deputy County Administrator Tom Nadler, and officials from the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office.
A graph showing the decline in opioid overdose deaths across Palm Beach County. (Palm Beach County Medical Examiner/Courtesy)
The downturn is part of a national trend. In February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an “unprecedented” 24% decline in drug overdose deaths across the United States between 2023 and 2024. Officials attributed the decrease to better access to the life-saving drug naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan, as well as better access to treatment and “shifts in the illegal drug supply.”
Palm Beach County has long been one of the country’s hot spots for drug overdoses due to its many sober homes, particularly in areas like Delray Beach. Jachles attributed some of the local decrease to law enforcement’s crackdown on sober homes and improved training of police when it comes to administering naloxone.
“It’s a combination of all of these different pieces,” he said.
