CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Ohio overdose deaths saw an 8.7% decrease from 2022 to 2023, exceeding the U.S. overdose decrease of 4% over that same time according to a recent study by the CDC.

Ohio went from 45.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, to 41.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023. Nationwide, overdose deaths fell from 32.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022 to 31.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2023.

According to Dr. Zaid Fadul, Medical Director at Better U, the decrease can be attributed to three main things: fentanyl becoming less available, harm reduction tools becoming more accessible, and increase access to treatment.

"There are a lot of factors that go together, and you're seeing it," Dr. Fadul said, "when you have very smart, collective cooperation between the public, the government and the private sector we're seeing the drop in opioid deaths."

Dr. Fadul says that increasing awareness and decreasing the stigma around addiction has become crucial. If addiction is shamed less and understood more, it can drive more people to seek help far earlier than ever before.

"The bottom line is community," Dr. Fadul said, "I think it's important for all of us to remember the humanity in this. If we really want to help people we need to find them the right resources and plug them in".