U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Decline For Third Year, Down 14% Between 2024 & 2025

Drug overdose deaths across the United States have fallen for the third consecutive year, according to preliminary data released in May 2026 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimates that approximately 69,973 people died from drug overdoses during the 12-month period ending in December 2025, representing a 13.9% decrease from the previous year.

The declines occurred across three consecutive reporting periods. An estimated 81,313 drug overdose deaths occurred in 2024 in the United States, a decrease of 24.7% from the 107,966 deaths estimated in 2023. The 2025 projection of . . .