A new study published in the journal Science links a sharp drop in drug overdose deaths in the US from 2023 to a decrease in the strength of fentanyl in the illegal market.[1] The number of fatal overdoses from all drugs increased approximately 20-fold from 1980 until 2022, after which the downward curve turned downward by at least a third in June and July 2023.[1] The reduction in fentanyl's potency may be a result of the Chinese government's crackdown on groups smuggling precursors to the production of this powerful opioid.[1] The CDC reports that the age-standardized rate of overdose deaths fell by 26.2% between 2023 and 2024, from 31.3 to 23.1 per 100,000 population.[2] This decline was across all age groups, sexes, and drug types, including synthetic opioids other than methadone.[2][1] A similar decrease in deaths was also recorded in Canada, which supports the hypothesis of a change in the supply of precursors from China.[1] The DEA no longer publishes drug purity data, but the study offers an explanation for the drop in deaths.[1]