Why are drug overdose deaths declining?

From 2021 to 2023, more than 105,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose each year — tens of thousands more than the already high rates seen in the lead-up to the Covid pandemic. Then, suddenly, the death rates dropped. In 2024, U.S. overdose deaths decreased 27%. Preliminary data from 2025 show another meaningful drop, though overdose mortality is still quite high. Other countries with major overdose problems also saw fewer deaths: In Scotland, there was a 13% decrease in 2024, and in ...