Growth rate of opioid-related deaths in Missouri is slowing down

The Department of Health and Human Services said opioid-related deaths in Missouri are increasing, but the rate of that increase is slowing down.

In 2016, there were 908 opioid or heroin-related deaths, a 35 percent spike from the 672 deaths in 2015.

But according to a new report, 2017 opioid-related deaths climbed to 951, but only by a 4.7 percent increase from 2016.

“The opioid crisis is the number one public health issue Missouri is facing,” said Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services director Dr. Randall Williams. “The declining rate of opioid deaths shows improvement statewide; however, we recognize that one loss is too many and we are committed to working as hard as we can to decrease the number of deaths.”