In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that people would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers. As a result, healthcare professionals began to prescribe opioids at greater rates. About two decades later, opioid drug addiction treatment programs help more than a million Americans struggling with opioid misuse yearly. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency and announced a strategy to combat the opioid epidemic.
Massachusetts opioid statistics indicate that it’s one of the hardest hit by the public health crisis, though recent data show significant improvements. Searching for drug addiction treatment programs near Boston, MA? Reach out to Rockland Recovery today by calling 855.732.4842 or contacting our team online.
Is Massachusetts Affected by the Opioid Epidemic?
Massachusetts has been profoundly impacted by the opioid crisis, with over 2,000 residents dying annually in recent years. However, 2024 marked a turning point with a dramatic decline in fatalities [1]. The state saw an exponential increase in fatal opioid-related overdoses through 2022, when deaths peaked at 2,357 confirmed [2] and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths.
Recent developments have pushed forward substantial improvements in the state’s substance abuse prevention and treatment policies. Attorney General Maura Healey worked with the legislature in 2020-2021 to support opioid abuse prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery efforts. When she became Governor in January 2023, she continued these initiatives. The state continues to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from claims resolved against the nation’s three largest drug distributors and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson to address the effects of the opioid crisis across Massachusetts.
What Are the Opioid Statistics of Massachusetts?
The opioid epidemic in Massachusetts and the rest of the U.S. has received a great deal of public attention, and its scale has been worse than most Americans realize. However, 2023 and 2024 have shown unprecedented declines:
- 2022: 2,357 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths (record high)
- 2023: 2,125 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths (10% decrease, the largest single-year decline in two decades)
- July 2023-June 2024: 1,763 opioid-related deaths, with 96% being overdosesย [3]
- 2024: Approximately 1,341 opioid-related overdose deaths (36% decrease from 2023)
The opioid-related death rate in Massachusetts remains more than twice the national average, but the trend is reversing dramatically. The 2023 death rate was 30.2 per 100,000 people, down from 33.5 in 2022. Provisional data for early 2024 showed a continued 9% decline compared to the same period in 2023.
The Fentanyl Factor and Emerging Threats
While prescription opioid rates have decreased significantly, illicit fentanyl has driven the crisis. In the period between July 2023 and June 2024, fentanyl was present in 92% of opioid-related overdose deaths where toxicology was available. This marks a continued escalation from previous years.
A disturbing new development is the emergence of xylazine, a veterinary sedative increasingly mixed with fentanyl. In 2024, xylazine was found in 34% of drug samples tested by the Massachusetts drug supply data stream and was present in 16% of opioid overdose deaths. This combination creates more severe withdrawal symptoms and reduces the effectiveness of standard opioid overdose reversal medications.
Stimulants continue to complicate the crisis, with cocaine present in 56% of opioid-related deaths and amphetamines in 11% during the 2023-2024 period.
Geographic and Demographic Patterns
The decline in opioid-related overdose deaths in 2023 was significant among white non-Hispanic men, whose overdose death rate declined 16% between 2022 and 2023, from 48.2 to 40.4 per 100,000 people. However, disparities persist:
- Geographic diversity: The state’s most rural areas continue to record the highest opioid-related overdose death rate at 35.6 per 100,000 residents
- Cities with notable decreases in 2023: Brockton, Cambridge, Falmouth, Lawrence, Leominster, Lynn, Pittsfield, Randolph, Waltham, and Wareham
- Cities with increases: Holyoke and Taunton saw notable increases in 2023
Boston specifically experienced a 38% decrease in opioid overdose deaths in 2024 compared to 2023, reaching the lowest number since 2015. [4]
Economic Impact
The opioid epidemic cost Massachusetts nearly $145 billion in 2024 alone [5], according to Avalere Health research. This staggering figure includes:
- $111 billion in diminished quality of life and premature death impacts on patients
- $9.2 billion in lost earnings and expenses for households
- $17.5 billion in impacts on businesses
- $7.7 billion in government costs (federal, state, and local)
Nationally, Massachusetts’ financial burden ranked among the highest in the country, with over 2.5% of the state’s residents affected by opioid use disorder.
When Should You Consider a Drug Addiction Treatment Program?
Don’t let yourself or someone you care about be part of the opioid crisis in Massachusetts โ or wherever in the U.S. you may be located. Opioid addiction is a chronic disease that can result in long-term changes to your brain chemistry and functions. Seeking professional help and overcoming addiction as soon as possible is essential if you want to avoid the long-term health conditions associated with opioid abuse.
Your chances of overcoming opioid addiction are better with long-term and residential treatment programs that include behavioral therapy and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Massachusetts has expanded access to treatment through innovative models. As of spring 2025, more than 40 sites contract with the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services [6] to care for people with opioid, alcohol, and stimulant use disorders.
The FDA-approved medications that can be prescribed for a client as part of MAT include the following:
- Methadone: This is a long-acting opioid that affects the same parts of your brain as the addictive substance of your choice. However, it doesn’t provide the familiar high. You can take it every day, but you have to go to a special clinic to get it. Methadone prevents withdrawal symptoms and eases drug cravings.
- Buprenorphine: This is another medication approved for the treatment of opioid addiction. It hits the same receptors in your brain but is not as strong as the addictive substance of your choice. It is also available in combination with another FDA-approved drug called naloxone.
- Naltrexone: This medication blocks the euphoric and sedative effects of opioids and prevents feelings of euphoria. It is available in daily oral form or monthly injection.
Massachusetts’ nurse care manager model has increased patient enrollment from 3,687 in 2020 to 4,319 in 2024 (a 17% increase), with non-opioid admissions growing from 17.4% to 39% of total admissions.
Harm Reduction Success
The state’s investment in evidence-based harm reduction interventions has contributed significantly to the decline in deaths. Massachusetts continues to distribute naloxone and fentanyl test strips widely through community organizations and providers to increase accessibility of life-saving interventions across communities.
Ready To Learn More About Rockland Recovery’s Drug Addiction Treatment Programs?
If you’re looking for drug addiction treatment programs near Boston, MA, contact Rockland Recovery today. Reach out to our team online or call 855.732.4842.
The dramatic decline in overdose deaths offers hope, but the crisis is not over. With fentanyl contaminating the drug supply and new threats like xylazine emerging, professional treatment remains critical for those struggling with opioid use disorder.