A grim American trend is finally bending the right way.
New federal data released this week shows U.S. overdose deaths fell throughout most of last year — a sign the country may be turning a corner in an epidemic that worsened for generations.
Deaths have now been dropping for more than two years — the longest decline in decades. But the pace of the decline is starting to slow.
Experts say the crisis is still far from “normal.”
The monthly death toll remains above pre-pandemic levels, and nowhere near where the country was before the current overdose era began, 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.
Overdose deaths began climbing steadily in the 1990s — first driven by opioid painkillers, then heroin, and later illicit fentanyl. Deaths peaked at nearly 110,000 in 2022. They dipped slightly in 2023, then fell 27% in 2024 to around 80,000 — the largest one-year decline ever recorded.
The new CDC data runs through August 2025. It 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 ending August 2025 — down about 21% from the 92,000 in the previous 12-month period.
CDC officials said deaths fell everywhere except Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico, and North Dakota.
They also cautioned that reporting delays could still change the state-by-state count.
President Trump’s Rapid Response X account touted the trend, 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
