Drug overdose deaths decline for third year

Fewer than 70,000 people died of drug overdose deaths in 2025, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday. The number of drug overdose deaths in the United States has steadily declined since 2023, when over 106,000 died. The national rate of drug overdose deaths is now similar to prepandemic rates in 2019, according to CDC data.

What did this look like state-by-state? Most states saw some decrease in the number of drug overdose deaths from 2024 to 2025. Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona all saw increases in the number of people dying from overdoses. Nebraska saw no change in its rate of overdose deaths.

How have anti-addiction advocates interpreted the numbers? Groups seeking to end drug addiction in the United States celebrated the decrease in deaths. But the Partnership to End Addiction and Shatterproof tempered those celebrations by saying that 70,000 drug overdose deaths were still too many.