VESTAL, NY (WSKG) – Fatal overdoses increased across the country in 2020. According to recent numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 93,000 people died of an overdose. New Yorkers made up nearly 3,000, an almost 40 percent increase from the year before. In addition, Broome County health officials warned of a spike in overdoses throughout the county. The rise in overdose deaths has led to a demand by harm reduction and drug policy advocates for Overdose Prevention Centers, also known as OPCs. This week, advocacy groups rallied in front of the Binghamton State Office Building to push for OPC legislation. They argued the facilities would reverse overdoses, reduce the transmission of diseases, and connect people in the community with social services.