Opinion: America must not learn to live with 72,000 overdose deaths a year

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Source: STAT News

Original: https://www.statnews.com/2026/03/09/drug-overdose-deaths-opioids-decline-plateau...

Published: Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:30:00 +0000

In 2024, approximately 80,000 people will die of drug overdoses in the US, which is a 27 percent decrease compared to 110,000 victims in 2023[1]. Despite this drop, which is the largest year-on-year reduction recorded in any country during the long-running drug crisis, the number of deaths remains higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic[1]. Experts cite several possible factors for the decline, including better availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, the expansion of addiction treatment, and changes in the way drugs are used[1]. The synthetic opioid fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths – causing more than 75,000 deaths in 2022, accounting for more than two-thirds of all cases[2]. Overdose remains the leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 44[1]. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls for continued drug enforcement and monitoring of this situation[1].