Deaths for opioid drug overdoses dropped in Colorado in 2018. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the state saw 974 overdose deaths last year, which is 38 fewer than in 2017. The agency credits the drop to more doctors using the state's prescription drug monitoring program, and legislation that limits painkiller prescriptions to seven-day amounts. Increased use of drug-assisted treatment through the Office of Behavioral Health may have also been a factor.