The AP (1/14, Stobbe) reports new federal data released Wednesday show “that overdose deaths have been falling for more than two years – the longest drop in decades – but also that the decline was slowing.” According to CDC data, “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 also “reported that deaths were down in all states except Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico and North Dakota. But they noted it’s likely that not all overdose deaths have been reported yet in every state, and additional data in the future might affect that state count.” Researchers cannot yet “say with confidence why deaths have gone down,” but possible explanations include “increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, expanded addiction treatment, shifts in how people use drugs, and the growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money.”
Related Links:
— “US overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals,”Mike Stobbe , AP, January 14, 2026