RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia lost $5.2 billion to the opioid crisis in 2023, a significant increase from $3.5 billion in 2020, according to new research from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center of Society and Health.
The study, conducted over seven years, reveals that the vast majority of these costs are borne by families and households, primarily through lifetime lost wages and reduced workplace productivity due to fatal overdoses.
“The true cost is measured in lives, families, and communities, but we know that this affects every single community. This isn’t just a rural Virginia issue — this is all across Virginia,” said Derek Chapman, director of VCU’s Center of Society and Health.
VCU researchers developed a map showing where costs are highest across the state. In Central Virginia, Richmond, Hopewell and Petersburg show the highest economic impact from opioid deaths. Richmond faces $2,300 per person in costs totaling $526 million, while Hopewell sees $2,300 per person totaling $52 million, and Petersburg experiences $2,000 per person totaling $68 million.
“What varies by person and varies by community is the resources that we have access to stay alive, to stay safe and to recover,” said Lucy Hahn, user experience designer with VCU’s Center of Society and Health.
The research aims to target resources that reduce deaths and lead to recovery in the most impacted areas.
“What we need to do is scale up those investments and this is a way of showing the scale of how much we could potentially accomplish together economically,” Hahn said.
Despite the financial toll, there is encouraging news. Opioid overdose deaths dropped nearly 50% from 2,058 in 2023 to 1,066 in 2024, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Chapman attributes this decline to investments in various recovery programs.
The return on investment for prevention and treatment programs is substantial. Studies show that every dollar spent on substance use prevention results in $18 in economic benefit. Syringe service programs generate $7 in economic benefit per dollar spent, while overdose prevention centers provide about $21 in economic benefit for every dollar invested.
Leon Dangerfield, a certified peer recovery specialist with 25 years of sobriety, exemplifies what successful recovery looks like.
“When you’re in active addiction, you ignore everything that made life move forward, so when you get sober, everything hits you like a ton of bricks and you feel like there’s no way out,” Dangerfield said.
“It took me multiple times, but I’m here today trying to help people through those hard times.”
Dangerfield’s recovery has transformed his life completely.
“I bought my first house this year, I got married this year, reconnected with loved ones, building relationships with my children. So yes, blessed is an understatement,” Dangerfield said.
Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Susan Youngkin have spent the last four years highlighting families directly impacted by the opioid crisis.
“We’re not talking about dollars and cents, we’re talking about people and lives. We have put forth an extraordinary and comprehensive effort, and, yes, allocated some resources to it and had an extraordinary impact,” Youngkin said.
Dangerfield believes addressing both the financial impact and loss of life is crucial for helping Virginians affected by the opioid epidemic.
“You put the right resources in the right places and you have the right person that’s willing to work at it, then the sky is the limit,” Dangerfield said.
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