What’s Driving 3 Consecutive Years of Decline in National Drug Overdoses

Drug overdose deaths fell for a third consecutive year in 2025, down by 13.9%. It’s the first time the fatal overdoses have dipped to pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Eric Arzubi, CEO and founder of Frontier Psychiatry, suspects the drivers of the decline is a combination of the elimination of the federal X-waiver requirement for buprenorphine treatment, growing naloxone distribution and access, harm reduction practices, and heightened social awareness.

While the three years of consecutive decline in drug overdose deaths is positive news for the addiction treatment industry, Shatterproof, a national nonprofit organization that focuses on addiction care and advocacy work, called the progress “fragile” in a statement.