evidence: PHILADELPHIA—In 2022, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health recorded 1,413 unintentional overdose deaths. This is an 11% increase from the previous high of 1,276 in 2021. The Health Department also found that the number of Black and Hispanic individuals dying from drug overdose continues to increase; from 2018 to 2022, the number of overdose fatalities increased 87% and 43% among Black and Hispanic individuals, respectively. This change in the demographics of drug overdose deaths mirrors national trends. More than 80% of the overdose deaths recorded in 2022 involved opioids, virtually always fentanyl. Stimulants, such as cocaine, were detected in more than 70% of overdose deaths. "The 2022 overdose report underscores the urgent need for greater awareness and more tools to fight growing overdose epidemic in Philadelphia and across the U.S.," said Mayor Jim Kenney. "It is no longer accurate to call this an opioid epidemic; it is an overdose epidemic driven by an increasingly contaminated drug supply. The Health Department, Opioid Response Unit, and several other City agencies and partners are working diligently to meet the challenges of this evolving crisis, and we urge every resident to understand the widespread risks and learn about the life-saving resources that are available."