The United States has seen a historic 24% decline in drug overdose deaths over the past year, according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data estimates approximately 87,000 overdose deaths from October 2023 to September 2024—down from around 114,000 the previous year—marking the lowest 12-month total since June 2020.
“It is unprecedented to see predicted overdose deaths drop by more than 27,000 over a single year,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, the director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “That’s more than 70 lives saved every day.”
Despite the encouraging national trend, drug overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44. Additionally, five states—Alaska, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, and Utah—reported increases in overdose deaths.
The CDC attributes the decline to several factors, including expanded access to naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, as well as improved treatment options for substance use disorders and shifts in the illegal drug supply.
“CDC’s public health investments, our improved data and laboratory systems for overdose response, and our partnerships with public safety colleagues in every state mean that we are more rapidly identifying emerging drug threats and supporting public health prevention and response activities in communities across America,” said Arwady.
