For the first time in decades, America’s overdose nightmare is backing off.
New federal data released Wednesday shows U.S. overdose deaths fell throughout most of last year, signaling what could be a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for generations.
The numbers have now been dropping for more than two years — the longest decline in decades — though the pace of the decline is starting to slow.
Still, experts warned the crisis remains far from “normal.”
And the monthly death toll is still not back to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic — let alone where it was before the current overdose epidemic struck decades ago, said Brandon Marshall, a Brown University researcher who studies overdose trends.
“Overall I think this continues to be encouraging, especially since we’re seeing declines almost across the nation,” he said.
45 states saw overdose deaths fall
Overdose deaths began steadily climbing in the 1990s — first from opioid painkillers, then heroin, and more recently illicit fentanyl. Deaths peaked at nearly 110,000 in 2022, dipped slightly in 2023, and then plummeted 27% in 2024 to around 80,000 — the largest one-year decline ever recorded.
The new CDC data runs through August 2025 and is the first update of monthly provisional overdose deaths since the federal government shutdown.
An estimated 73,000 people died from overdoses in the 12-month period that ended August 2025 — down about 21% from the 92,000 in the previous 12-month period.
CDC officials reported deaths were down in every state except Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico, and North Dakota — while noting reporting delays could still change the final state-by-state count.
President Trump’s Rapid Response X account shared the news, saying, “Securing our border. Cutting off the cartels. Stopping fentanyl trafficking at its source. President Trump’s policies are saving American lives.”
Securing our border. Cutting off the cartels. Stopping fentanyl trafficking at its source.
President Trump’s policies are saving American lives. pic.twitter.com/ZX333lW2xr
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 15, 2026
More over at ABC News:
U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of last year, suggesting a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for decades. https://t.co/u6sAE3GtWw
— ABC News (@ABC) January 14, 2026
