'It's scary to think I could have died' - the Americans coming back from fentanyl addiction

October 17, 2025

North Carolina has seen a dramatic 35% reduction in drug overdose fatalities as part of a nationwide 25% drop in fatal overdoses in 2024, representing nearly 30,000 fewer deaths across the United States. This significant improvement is attributed to harm reduction strategies, including innovative programs like Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) in Fayetteville, which diverts substance users from the criminal justice system toward recovery services. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using methadone and buprenorphine has been crucial in North Carolina, with over 30,000 people enrolled in such programs, while the widespread availability of naloxone has reversed more than 16,000 potential overdoses in the state in 2024 alone.

Who is affected

Drug users and people with substance use disorders in North Carolina and across the US
The families of overdose victims and those in recovery (like Kayla's parents)
Young people (Generation Z), who are experiencing fewer overdose deaths than older generations
Black, indigenous, and non-white populations who haven't seen the same rate of overdose decrease
Medicaid recipients (70% of patients at Morse Clinics) who could lose access to treatment
Residents of states like Nevada and Arizona that have slower rates of decrease in lethal overdoses

What action is being taken

Law enforcement in Fayetteville is implementing the LEAD program to divert substance users from crime to recovery
The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition is partnering with police to support drug users
Dr. Eric Morse is operating nine clinics offering medication-assisted treatment in North Carolina
Dr. Nabarun Dasgupta is running a national drugs-testing laboratory analyzing samples from 43 states
Naloxone is being widely distributed and administered (over 16,000 times in North Carolina in 2024)
North Carolina is using its share of the Opioid Settlement (approximately $1.5 billion) to fund prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction

Why it matters

The 25% reduction in fatal overdoses represents nearly 30,000 fewer deaths nationally, with North Carolina showing an even more impressive 35% decrease
The success demonstrates the effectiveness of harm reduction approaches over criminalization
Medication-assisted treatment is proving more effective than abstinence-based approaches, with scientific studies showing better survival rates
The widespread availability of naloxone has potentially saved 16,000 lives in North Carolina alone
The $60 billion Opioid Settlement provides critical funding for addressing the epidemic
Recovery programs like LEAD are helping people like Kayla rebuild their lives, avoid criminal records, and gain employment

What's next

Potential cuts to Medicaid included in President Trump's One Big, Beautiful Bill Act could impact treatment access for many patients
Kayla plans to taper off methadone to become medication and drug-free and hopes to find a job in a hospital
No explicit next steps stated in the article regarding policy changes or program expansions

Read full article from source: BBC