State Sees First Decline in Overdose Death in 10 Years as DPH, DAODAS Continue Focus on Prevention, Treatment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Apr. 1, 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In 2023, for the first time in more than a decade, South Carolina saw a decrease in the number of overdose deaths in the state, outlined in the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s (DPH) newly released 2023 Drug Overdose Deaths Report.

Each year, DPH’s Drug Overdose Deaths Report provides data and information about the fatal drug overdose deaths that occur in the state.

In 2023, the most recent year for which data is available, there were 2,157 drug overdose deaths in South Carolina, a 6.1% decrease from the 2,296 drug overdose deaths in 2022. Prior to 2023, the last time South Carolina saw a decrease in drug overdose deaths was 2012.

“As we’ve watched the overdose epidemic’s impact across the United States and within our state, DPH and our partners have worked determinedly to build programs and offer resources to curtail substance misuse and prevent overdose deaths in our state,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, interim DPH director. “This data reflects our hard work and shows our state heading in the right direction. While we celebrate this achievement, we still have a long way to go in our efforts to reduce drug overdose deaths in our state.”

While South Carolina experienced a decrease in drug overdose deaths overall in 2023, there were increases in almost one-third (15 of 46) of the state’s counties, including Aiken, Charleston, Chester, Chesterfield, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Lancaster, Marlboro, Newberry, Oconee, Williamsburg and York. Overdose deaths rose by more than 50% in Chesterfield and Colleton counties, and Marlboro County showed an increase in overdose deaths by more than 100%.

Nationally, including South Carolina, the synthetic opioid fentanyl continues to be largely responsible for a vast number of overdose deaths. Fentanyl was involved in 1,550 of the state’s 2,157 overdose deaths in 2023.

“The cross-sector coordination between public safety and health services has been essential to reducing overdoses and saving lives,” said Sara Goldsby, South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) director. “Implementing evidence-based strategies that enhance prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts yields results. The supplemental federal funds that South Carolina has received in recent years have been instrumental in expanding access to treatment and recovery services, increasing prevention initiatives, and strengthening community-based support systems. These resources have allowed us to take a more comprehensive approach to addressing the overdose crisis and improving outcomes for individuals and families across the state.”

DPH and DAODAS remind all South Carolinians that resources are available for anyone experiencing substance use issues.

DPH offers Opioid Overdose (OD) Safety Kits at health departments across the state. Each kit contains two doses of the opioid-antidote medication naloxone, five fentanyl test strips, five xylazine test strips, educational materials on how to use everything included and guidance for how to identify an opioid overdose.

The naloxone in the kits is a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, potentially saving a person’s life. The fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, in different types of drugs. Xylazine test strips can detect the presence of xylazine, which is a harmful sedative that can create painful wounds on the body and can also cause death. Both fentanyl and xylazine are often added to other drugs without the user’s knowledge, making them even more dangerous.

Call your local DPH health department to check the availability of Opioid OD Safety Kits before pick up. The safety kits are free, and you are not required to answer any questions.

To find free naloxone doses and fentanyl test strips available at other Community Distributors, visit justplainkillers.com. For services to treat addiction, visit daodas.sc.gov or embracerecoverysc.com.

The data DPH collects for the annual Drug Overdose Deaths Statistical Report for South Carolina is derived from death certificates registered with DPH’s Office of Vital Statistics and represents the deaths of people that occurred within the state, regardless of whether they were South Carolina residents.

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