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Overdose deaths are falling — but the drug supply is still deadly

Published June 28, 2026 · The Empower Brief

For the first time in years, there is real, measurable good news in the overdose crisis. After a decade of relentless increases, drug overdose deaths in the United States dropped sharply — and the decline is continuing. But the same data carry a warning: the illicit drug supply is shifting, and it remains lethal. Here's what the numbers actually say, and what they mean for families and people in recovery.

The biggest decline on record

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 80,391 people died of a drug overdose in 2024 — a 26.9% drop from the 110,037 deaths in 2023. That is the largest single-year decline the country has ever recorded, and it brings annual overdose deaths to their lowest level since 2019.

The improvement did not stop there. CDC's provisional data show the trend holding into 2026: about 69,147 overdose deaths were predicted for the 12 months ending in January 2026, a further 13.2% decline from the year before.

Almost every state saw fewer overdose deaths. States including Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. saw declines of 35% or more.

Fentanyl is down — a lot

Much of the improvement is tied to synthetic opioids, primarily illicitly-manufactured fentanyl. Fentanyl was involved in more than 76,000 deaths in 2023, but just over 48,000 in 2024 — the single largest drop among all drug categories. Researchers credit a combination of factors: wider distribution of naloxone (Narcan), expanded access to treatment, changes in the drug supply, and years of public-health investment.

But stimulants are rising

The crisis isn't over — it's changing shape. Even as opioid deaths fell, deaths involving stimulants climbed:

• Deaths involving methamphetamine rose from 29,456 to 37,096 between 2023 and 2024.
• Deaths involving cocaine increased by roughly 8,000, to about 30,833.

Part of the danger is that fentanyl is increasingly found mixed into other drugs — including counterfeit pills and stimulants — so people can be exposed to opioids without knowing it. That's why overdose-prevention tools matter for everyone, not only for people who use opioids.

What this means for you

Progress is real, and it proves that prevention works. But "improving" is not the same as "safe." The practical takeaways:

• Carry naloxone (Narcan). It's now available over the counter and free in every state. Here's how to get it and use it.
• Never use alone, and consider fentanyl test strips where legal.
• Know that stimulants can contain fentanyl — the risk isn't limited to heroin or pills.
• Treatment and stable housing save lives. The declines track with expanded access to care and support.

This article shares public-health information from trusted national sources for educational purposes. It is not medical advice. Data are provisional and subject to revision by the CDC.