CDC: US drug overdose deaths drop to lowest levels since June 2020

US overdose deaths drop 24% to 87,000 in one year

Robert Besser
03 Mar 2025, 07:30 GMT+10

CDC: US drug overdose deaths drop to lowest levels since June 2020

Nearly 87,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in the 12 months ending September 2024, a 24 percent drop from the previous year, according to early CDC data
This is the lowest number of overdose deaths in any 12-month period since June 2020
The Trump administration has prioritized stopping fentanyl trafficking and ending the overdose crisis. Fentanyl remains the top cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., with drug cartels in Mexico making it from chemicals primarily sourced from China

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Nearly 87,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in the 12 months ending September 2024, a 24 percent drop from the previous year, according to early CDC data. This is the lowest number of overdose deaths in any 12-month period since June 2020.

The Trump administration has prioritized stopping fentanyl trafficking and ending the overdose crisis. Fentanyl remains the top cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., with drug cartels in Mexico making it from chemicals primarily sourced from China.

Over the past decade, synthetic opioids have killed over 450,000 Americans and left millions addicted. In 2021, overdose deaths exceeded 100,000 for the first time, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting healthcare and worsening mental health issues.

Opioid-related deaths dropped from about 86,600 to 61,400 in a year, while deaths from synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, fell from 79,400 to 55,100.

"It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year," said Allison Arwady, Director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.