KENTUCKY — The number of Kentuckians lost to drug overdose in 2022 declined by more than 5% compared to the previous year, according to a report from the Office of Drug Control Policy.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) released the department's full 2022 Overdose Fatality Report on Thursday, which details the 2,135 drug overdose deaths recorded in the Commonwealth last year. Though still high, the total's decline is the first since 2018.

“Seeing a decrease in overdose deaths is encouraging, but we still have a long way to go, because one Kentucky life lost to overdose is one too many,” Beshear said during Thursday's Team Kentucky update. 

The report indicates that 90% of overdose deaths involved opioids, and fentanyl continues to be the most prevalent drug contributing to those deaths, accounting for 72.5% nationwide in 2022.

Potent, inexpensive methamphetamine was also a significant contributor to overdose deaths, killing 226 people in Jefferson County alone.

Other deadly drugs detailed in the report include acetylfentanyl, heroin, oxycodone and morphine.

While the nation as a whole saw overdose deaths increase last year, Kentucky was one of the few states to record a decline, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's national data.

Overdose deaths are tracked by the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center using data from the death certificates database at the Office of Vital Statistics under the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.