US drug overdose deaths saw an unprecedented drop in 2024, but federal cuts could threaten momentum

Drug overdose deaths in the United States made an unprecedented drop to the lowest they’ve been in five years, according to a new federal government estimate released Wednesday.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, drug overdose deaths had surged to record levels. The new data shows that declines that started in the second half of 2023 continued through 2024.

There were an estimated 80,391 overdose deaths in 2024, according to provisional data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – a 27% drop in one year, with about 30,000 fewer deaths than in 2023.