Drug overdose deaths in Los Angeles County have declined significantly, according to new data from the LA County Public Health Department. In 2024, drug-related deaths fell 22% compared to previous years, with fentanyl-related deaths dropping 37% and methamphetamine-related deaths decreasing 20%. The total number of drug-related overdose and poisoning deaths fell from 3,137 in 2023 to 2,438 in 2024, the lowest recorded since 2019.
Despite this progress, over 2,400 people still died in Los Angeles County, and more than 70,000 died across the United States from drug overdoses. The fight against drug abuse continues, but officials point to education as a key factor in the decline. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World has distributed hundreds of thousands of its Truth About Drugs educational booklets in Los Angeles County in recent years. The organization reports that wherever a concentration of booklets has been distributed, drug-related issues have dropped.
These free booklets, produced by the Church of Scientology, provide information about fentanyl, cannabis, crack, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy, heroin, LSD, prescription painkillers, and other drugs. They are designed to help individuals make informed decisions to live drug-free lives. The foundation's materials have reached 25% of all middle and high schools in the United States. Since the start of 2025, more than 22 million booklets have been distributed worldwide, bringing the total to over 183 million in 22 languages.
Distribution efforts are ongoing, including at major events such as the FIFA games being played in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June through July 2026. Volunteers are using these opportunities to hand out booklets to large crowds.
The Church of Scientology, based on the research of founder L. Ron Hubbard, who stated that "the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs," supports the foundation's work. In Los Angeles, the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International has been active for years, distributing booklets throughout the community.
While the decline in overdose deaths is encouraging, experts caution that continued prevention efforts are essential. Education, they say, works best before drug use begins—before the first pill, the first powder, or the first needle. The data from Los Angeles County suggest that large-scale prevention can make a measurable difference.
