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 Plann

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