Overdose deaths fall for 3rd straight year, CDC data shows
Summary
About 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year, which is about 14% fewer than the previous year. This marks the third year in a row that overdose deaths have decreased, reaching levels similar to before the COVID-19 pandemic.Key Facts
- Overdose deaths in the U.S. dropped for the third straight year, reaching about 70,000 in 2025.
- This total is nearly the same as the number of deaths in 2019, before the pandemic.
- Deaths fell for several drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
- Most states saw a decline in overdose deaths, but seven states, including Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, had increases.
- Some possible reasons for the overall decline include more access to naloxone (a drug that can reverse overdoses), better addiction treatment, and changes to the drug supply.
- New and stronger drugs like cyclorphine, a synthetic opioid stronger than fentanyl, are appearing in the drug market.
- Certain veterinary sedatives like xylazine are now found in street drugs and can cause serious side effects.
- The Trump administration has been reducing some programs aimed at lowering overdose deaths and drug-related infections.
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