U.S. overdose deaths drop 27% in 2024, experts unsure why

U.S. overdose deaths fell 27% in 2024, with preliminary 2025 data showing another significant drop, marking an unprecedented decline that experts cannot fully explain or predict will continue. A new Commonwealth Fund report identifies potential contributing factors, including policy changes in the U.S. and abroad that may have helped prevent deaths, though questions remain about the decline's sustainability and causes. Epidemiologist Brandon Marshall called the rapid decrease "unprecedented," while researchers examine whether specific interventions or broader trends drove the improvement and what implications this holds for future public health strategies.