U.S. overdose deaths drop 27% as fentanyl crisis shows signs of easing

Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Mike Stobbe at The Associated Press is the basis of this artificial intelligence-assisted article.

​U.S. overdose deaths have declined for more than two years in the longest sustained drop in decades, with deaths falling 27% in 2024 and continuing downward through August 2025, though experts cite multiple possible explanations and express concerns about future policy impacts.

Some key facts:

• Overdose deaths peaked at nearly 110,000 in 2022, dropped to around 80,000 in 2024, marking a 27% decline and the largest one-year drop ever recorded.

• Through August 2025, an estimated 73,000 people died from overdoses in the preceding 12-month period, down about 21% from 92,000 in the previous year.

• Deaths declined in all states except Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico and North Dakota, though reporting may still be incomplete.

• University of Maryland researchers suggest Chinese regulatory changes in 2023 reduced the availability of fentanyl precursor chemicals, potentially lowering the drug’s purity and potency.

• University of Pittsburgh researchers found correlations between federal pandemic stimulus payments in 2020-2021 and surges in overdose deaths following each round of checks.

• Possible contributing factors to the decline include increased naloxone availability, expanded addiction treatment, changes in drug use patterns and billions in opioid lawsuit settlement funding.

• Experts note the monthly death toll remains higher than pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels and significantly elevated compared to decades ago.

• Researchers express concern that Trump administration tariff policies could strain U.S.-China relations and potentially affect fentanyl precursor enforcement, while promised $2,000 stimulus checks could trigger new overdose surges.

READ MORE: U.S. overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals