Opioid Epidemic News and Info Tracker

The opioid epidemic is no longer a distant headline; it is the backdrop of everyday life in many communities. DrugAbuseStatistics.org reports that almost 80,000 people in the United States now die from opioid overdoses each year, with opioids involved in more than 7 out of 10 overdose deaths. USAFacts notes that fentanyl alone was responsible for about 199 deaths every day in 2023, and the crisis has killed more than a quarter of a million Americans from fentanyl overdoses since 2021. In Canada, Health Canada reports over 53,000 apparent opioid toxicity deaths since 2016, showing this is a continental, not just national, emergency.

This epidemic...

The opioid epidemic in the United States has entered a new, more complex phase. After two decades of rising deaths, provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that overall drug overdose deaths have finally begun to edge down slightly, but opioids still drive more than 7 out of 10 of those fatalities. DrugAbuseStatistics.org reports that opioids now kill more than 217 Americans every day, with nearly 80,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2023 alone.

Listeners are seeing the impact in their own communities. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and CDC data, overdose deaths have increased more...

The opioid epidemic continues to devastate American communities at an alarming rate. Nearly eighty thousand people die every year from opioid overdoses, with two hundred seventeen deaths occurring every single day. This ongoing crisis has now been officially designated as a public health emergency, and the numbers only seem to be climbing.

Recent data shows that in 2023, nearly seventy-nine thousand four hundred people overdosed on opioids across the nation. What makes this particularly troubling is that opioids are now a factor in at least seventy-six percent of all overdose deaths. The crisis has accelerated dramatically over the past...

The opioid crisis continues to grip the nation with troubling new developments emerging in 2025. After seventeen months of declining overdose deaths that gave many addiction researchers hope, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the trend is reversing. The CDC reports roughly 82,138 deaths during the twelve-month period ending in January 2025, marking a significant increase from December 2024 figures. This represents the first rise in overdose deaths in more than a year, following an unprecedented 27 percent drop in drug deaths during 2024.

The numbers remain staggering across the country. Over 105,000 people die from drug overdoses annually in...

The opioid crisis continues to devastate communities across North America, with new data revealing both alarming trends and unexpected glimmers of hope. In Canada, authorities reported 1,377 apparent opioid toxicity deaths in just the first three months of 2025, with 95 percent classified as accidental. British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario account for 78 percent of these deaths, predominantly affecting men and individuals in their 40s. The Canadian data shows that 63 percent of these deaths involved fentanyl, while 82 percent involved non-pharmaceutical opioids, indicating the proliferation of illicit drugs on the street market.

South of the border, the situation presents a mixed picture. The...

From coast to coast, the opioid epidemic continues to evolve as one of the gravest public health crises across North America. New figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that in the twelve months ending April 30, 2025, around 76,500 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, with more than three-quarters attributed to opioids. While this number is down from the pandemic-era high of 110,900 overdose deaths in 2022, the devastation remains acute, translating to about 210 men, women, and even teens losing their lives each day.

According to the CDC, there was a pivotal shift in 2023—the first year si...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing public health crises of our time, continuing to devastate families and communities across North America in 2025. According to the CDC, the latest preliminary data projects 76,516 drug overdose deaths for the 12 months ending in April 2025, with opioids contributing to the vast majority of these fatalities. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are the main driver behind current overdose deaths, involved in up to 87 percent of opioid-related deaths and 65 percent of all drug overdose deaths, making opioid overdose one of the leading causes of death in the United States according to the American Psychiatric Association...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most devastating public health crises of our time, taking more than 217 American lives every single day, as reported by Drug Abuse Statistics. Opioids are now a factor in over three-quarters of all drug overdose deaths, and the crisis’ reach and complexity continue to evolve in 2025.

The origins of the epidemic go back decades, but the most recent chapter is defined by synthetic opioids—mainly fentanyl. According to the CDC, approximately 80,000 people died from opioid overdoses in 2023, making up nearly 76% of all drug overdose deaths that year. That’s nearly ten times the nu...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most urgent public health crises in North America and globally, with shifting trends and deepening impacts as listeners tune in today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdose in the United States in 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids. This means opioids are a factor in over three out of every four overdose fatalities nationwide. The number of deaths from opioid overdoses in 2023 was nearly ten times higher than it was in 1999, showing the staggering escalation of this crisis over the past generation.
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Canada's opioid crisis continues to devastate communities with alarming numbers. Through March 2025, the country has reported over 53,800 apparent opioid toxicity deaths since surveillance began in 2016. The Public Health Agency of Canada now reports that approximately 1,377 opioid deaths occurred in just the first three months of 2025 alone, with 95 percent classified as accidental. The crisis is concentrated in three provinces, where British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario account for 78 percent of all deaths. Men represent 73 percent of fatalities, with those aged 40 to 49 experiencing the highest mortality rate at 27 percent of deaths.

The drugs fueling this catastrophe paint a grim picture. Of...

In North America, the opioid epidemic remains a devastating public health crisis, but there are signs of change listeners should know about. Over the past decade, opioid overdose deaths soared to tragic levels. According to Health Infobase Canada, between January 2016 and March 2025 there were 53,821 opioid toxicity deaths reported in Canada alone, and in the first quarter of 2025 there have already been 1,377 deaths—95% were accidental. Most deaths involved males aged 40 to 49, and the majority were linked to non-pharmaceutical opioids, especially fentanyl and its analogues. Additionally, about 62% of 2025's deaths involved a stimulant, highlighting the complicated nature of today’s drug landscape.

The opioid epidemic continues to leave a profound impact across North America, though new data suggest a possible turning point. For the first time since 2018, the US saw a notable decrease in opioid overdose deaths in 2023. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses last year, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths—about 76 percent—involving opioids. This represents a four percent decline in opioid overdose death rates from 2022 to 2023, reversing a years-long trend of steady increases. The CDC attributes this decline to factors like expanded prevention measures, broader access to treatment, increased public health effo...

The opioid epidemic continues to be a pressing public health issue globally. In Canada, between January 2016 and March 2025, there were 53,821 reported opioid toxicity deaths, with 1,377 of those occurring in the first three months of 2025 alone. Most of these deaths involved non-pharmaceutical opioids, with fentanyl and its analogues being major contributors. The majority of these incidents occurred in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, affecting primarily males aged 40 to 49 years.

In the United States, opioid overdose deaths remain high, with nearly 80,000 opioid-related deaths in 2023, accounting for about 76% of all drug overdose deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted...

The opioid epidemic remains an urgent and evolving public health crisis, gripping communities in North America with staggering numbers and shifting patterns. According to the CDC, an estimated 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2023, with nearly 80,000 deaths linked directly to opioids—about 76 percent of the total, confirming that opioids remain the main driver of the nation’s overdose death toll. While initial data from 2023 suggest a possible leveling off or slight decrease in fatal overdoses nationally, the losses remain devastating and widespread.

Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl and its analogs, continue to fuel the deadliest phas...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most urgent public health crises in North America, but the latest data from 2023 and 2024 reveal a cautiously hopeful shift. After years of escalating fatalities, the United States experienced its first recorded annual decline in opioid overdose deaths since 2018, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths—about 76%—involving opioids. This represents a 4% decline in the opioid overdose death rate compared to 2022, signaling a possible turning point after more than two decades of relentless increase. However, experts warn that while gains are...

The opioid epidemic continues to be one of the most urgent public health crises in North America today, affecting individuals, families, and entire communities. The most recent government data shows that approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids. This means about three out of every four overdose deaths in America last year involved opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also notes that 2023 marked a small but significant change: after decades of worsening numbers, the opioid overdose death rate declined by about 4...

Listeners, the opioid epidemic remains a public health crisis affecting millions of Americans, but the most recent news offers a glimmer of hope: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of opioid-involved deaths in the United States declined by 4% from 2022 to 2023—marking the first national decrease since 2018. Still, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, with opioids involved in nearly 80,000 of these deaths.

For context, the opioid epidemic has unfolded in three distinct waves over the past 25 years. It started in the late 1990s, driven by increased prescriptions for pain relievers. The second wave be...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most urgent public health crises facing North America as we move through 2025. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States saw approximately 105,000 drug overdose deaths in 2023, of which an estimated 80,000 deaths—about 76 percent—involved opioids. Notably, 2023 marked the first time since 2018 that the annual opioid overdose death rate actually declined, dropping by about 4 percent from the previous year. Despite this small progress, opioid-involved deaths remain alarmingly high, and the epidemic has claimed nearly 806,000 lives in the US since 1999.

Listeners should know that the opioid crisis has evolved in t...

In 2023, the United States faced one of the deadliest years on record for drug overdoses, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting around 105,000 deaths; nearly 80,000 of them, or about 76 percent, involved opioids. While the overall opioid epidemic has devastated communities for decades, 2023 brought a pivotal shift. After years of relentless increase, the United States registered a 4 percent decline in opioid overdose death rates. This was the first such decline since 2018, raising cautious hope that sustained interventions could be making a difference. According to CDC reports, heroin-related overdose deaths dropped by a significant 33 percent from 2022 to 2023, and prescription opioid...

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The opioid epidemic in the United States continues as one of the most pressing public health crises in recent history, but 2023 marked the first real sliver of hope in years: a decline in the number of opioid overdose deaths for the first time since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2023, about 105,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, with nearly 80,000—around three-quarters—involving opioids. While the death rate remains alarmingly high, the nearly 4% drop signals a possible shift in trend after decades of relentless increases.

The opioid epidemic remains a defining health crisis in North America, with recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealing that nearly 80,000 people died from opioid-involved overdoses in 2023. This staggering figure represents approximately 76% of all drug overdose deaths for the year, underscoring opioids as the leading contributor to the nation's ongoing overdose crisis. These statistics highlight a deadly decade where the annual death toll has grown by nearly tenfold since 1999, driven by shifting patterns in prescription and illicit opioid use.

Listeners should note a significant development—2023 marked the first decline in opioid overdose death rates si...

Listeners, welcome to our exploration of one of the most urgent health challenges in North America—the opioid epidemic. In the past twenty-five years, communities across the United States and Canada have witnessed a surge in opioid-related deaths, driven by waves of prescription opioids, heroin, and most recently, synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that in 2023, nearly 80,000 people in the U.S. succumbed to opioid-related overdoses, accounting for about 76% of all drug overdose deaths. This tragically marks a tenfold increase since just 1999. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope: 2023 saw the first annual decline in...

The opioid epidemic has been an enduring and devastating crisis in the United States for over two decades, profoundly shaping public health, local communities, and families nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, with almost 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids. The good news is that, for the first time since 2018, 2023 marked a decline in overall opioid overdose deaths—a 4% decrease compared to 2022. While the crisis remains acute, this recent data offers a glimmer of hope.

The epidemic has unfolded in three major waves. The first began in the la...

America’s opioid epidemic remains one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time, but in the past year, there has finally been a glimmer of hope. According to the CDC, 2023 saw about 105,000 drug overdose deaths nationwide—nearly 80,000 of these involved opioids, making up roughly 76% of the total. While these numbers are staggering, it’s notable that opioid overdose deaths actually decreased by 4% from 2022 to 2023, marking the first annual decline since 2018.

Listeners might be surprised to learn that the opioid crisis has unfolded in distinct waves over the past 25 years. The first surge was driven by prescr...

Listeners, the American opioid epidemic remains a defining health crisis, but 2024 has brought news that may mark a turning point. According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the United States saw a dramatic drop in overdose deaths last year—the first nationwide decline in this tragic trend since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC reports that estimated drug overdose deaths fell nearly 27%, from 110,037 in 2023 to 80,391 in 2024, with deaths involving opioids dropping significantly from 83,140 to 54,743. This is the lowest annual total since 2019.

This reversal comes after a long, devastating climb: overdose deaths had increased almost without inte...

Listeners, the opioid epidemic remains a defining public health crisis in America, but the landscape is shifting in important ways. According to the CDC, 2023 brought the first annual decline in opioid overdose deaths since 2018, with approximately 105,000 people dying from drug overdoses overall, and nearly 80,000 involving opioids. That is a sobering figure, but it’s about 4 percent fewer opioid deaths than 2022, sparking hope among health officials and families affected nationwide.

This decline comes after decades of escalation. There have been three distinct waves since the late 1990s: a first wave driven by prescription opioids, a second wave fueled by he...

The landscape of the opioid epidemic in North America has shifted over the past year, delivering both sobering statistics and a glimmer of hope. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the United States saw an estimated 80,391 drug overdose deaths in 2024—a significant 27% decrease from the 110,037 deaths estimated in 2023. Overdose deaths involving opioids themselves dropped from 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024, marking the lowest level recorded since 2019. Most U.S. states experienced marked improvements, with some seeing declines exceeding 35%, particularly in Midwestern and Appalachian regions. However, a few states like South Dakota and Nevada saw slight increases. While the downward tr...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most serious public health crises in the United States and beyond, but the start of 2025 brings a shift that merits close attention. For the first time in years, opioid overdose death rates in the U.S. have declined, reversing a decades-long rise. According to the CDC, approximately 105,000 Americans died from drug overdose in 2023, nearly 80,000 of which involved opioids. That’s nearly ten times the number recorded in 1999. Yet, 2023 marked the first annual decrease in opioid-involved deaths since 2018, falling by 4 percent compared to 2022.

Researchers at JAMA Network report the U.S. drug ov...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing and deadly public health issues facing the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, and nearly 80,000 of those deaths—around 76 percent—involved opioids. While the rate of opioid overdose deaths increased nearly tenfold between 1999 and 2023, the last year brought cautious optimism as the opioid overdose death rate actually declined by 4 percent for the first time since 2018. This marks a potential turning point after decades of relentless increases.

Listeners should know that this crisis has evolved over time through thre...

In the ongoing fight against the opioid epidemic, listeners may be surprised to hear that data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a small but potentially significant turning point. After decades of staggering increases, the number of annual opioid-related deaths in the United States actually fell in 2023 for the first time since 2018. Approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses last year, and nearly 80,000 of those deaths—about 76 percent—involved opioids. This marks a four percent decline in the opioid overdose death rate compared to 2022, a statistic that offers a glimmer of hope according to the CDC.

Digg...

Thanks for joining us as we explore the latest developments in the ongoing opioid epidemic. Across the United States, listeners should know that while the crisis remains severe, there has been some hope in the most recent data. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 105,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2023, and nearly 80,000 of these deaths involved opioids. That means about three out of every four overdose deaths were opioid-related. The nation's opioid overdose rate is nearly ten times what it was in 1999, yet for the first time since 2018, 2023 saw an overall decline in opioid deaths—down by...

Listeners, across the United States the opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing public health crises of our time, but for the first time in years there are signs of meaningful progress. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 105,000 people died from drug overdose in 2023, with almost 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids, composing about 76 percent of the total. But in a significant shift, drug overdose deaths in the US decreased nearly 27 percent, from approximately 110,000 in 2023 to 80,400 in 2024, as reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Almost all states saw a decline except for South...

Opioid overdose deaths in the United States have been a major public health crisis for decades, with three distinct waves since 1999. First came a surge in deaths from prescription opioids, then heroin, and most recently, synthetic opioids like fentanyl. According to the CDC, 2023 saw approximately 105,000 overall drug overdose deaths, with about 80,000—76 percent—linked to opioids. Yet, for the first time since 2018, opioid-involved deaths actually declined, dropping about 4 percent nationwide from 2022 to 2023. There were sharper declines in specific categories: heroin deaths fell about 33 percent, prescription opioid deaths nearly 12 percent, and synthetic opioids about 2 percent.

That promising trend continued into 2024, with...

Listeners, the opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing public health crises of our time, but there are signs of hope amid ongoing tragedy. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths—about 76 percent—involving opioids. While these numbers are staggering, there is a significant development: 2023 marked the first annual decline in opioid-related overdose deaths since 2018, a 4 percent drop from the previous year. Most encouragingly, deaths involving prescription opioids dropped by almost 12 percent, heroin by about 33 percent, and overdose rates for illicit fent...

The opioid epidemic has dominated public health headlines for over two decades, but the most recent data reveals both new challenges and emerging hope. According to the CDC, about 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States during 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids—roughly 76 percent. This marks the first annual decline in opioid-involved deaths since 2018, signaling a potentially significant change after years of relentless increases. The number of people dying from opioid overdoses in 2023 was nearly ten times higher than in 1999. However, it’s important to note that the opioid overdose death rate actually dropped by 4 percent from...

The opioid epidemic, a crisis that has plagued North America for decades, continues to shape countless lives and public health strategies in 2025. The scope of its impact remains staggering. According to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 105,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023, with nearly 80,000 of those deaths involving opioids, accounting for about 76 percent of all overdose fatalities that year. Notably, 2023 marked the first time since 2018 that the annual opioid overdose death rate declined, dropping by 4 percent from 2022. Much of this progress is linked to increased access to treatment, expanded community interventions, and aggressive harm...

The United States continues to face a devastating opioid epidemic, but in a major shift, the latest national data for 2023 shows a glimmer of hope: after decades of relentless increase, opioid overdose deaths actually declined for the first time since 2018. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, and nearly 80,000 of those deaths—roughly 76%—involved opioids. While this figure remains tragically high, it represents a 4% decrease from 2022’s opioid overdose death rate. The CDC highlights that this marks a significant—though cautious—turning point in a crisis that has shadowed the country for more t...

The opioid epidemic remains one of the most pressing public health crises in North America, affecting families and communities across the United States and Canada. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in the U.S. during 2023, and nearly 80,000 of those deaths involved opioids, accounting for about 76 percent of all drug overdose deaths. For the first time in several years, 2023 marked a decline in opioid overdose deaths, with a 4 percent drop from 2022, offering a glimmer of hope after more than two decades of escalating fatalities.

The trajectory of the epidemic...

The opioid epidemic has been a devastating public health crisis for over two decades, but there is new data offering a measure of hope. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose deaths in the United States fell by nearly 27 percent, dropping from about 110,000 in 2023 to 80,400 in 2024. This marks the lowest annual total since 2019, and almost every state in the country saw declines, with particularly sharp drops in Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Only South Dakota and Nevada reported slight increases.

This decrease is significant because opioids, particularly synthetic forms...

Listeners, the landscape of the opioid epidemic in the United States has taken a significant turn in the past year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose deaths in the U.S. dropped by nearly 27% in 2024, falling from an estimated 110,000 deaths in 2023 to about 80,400 in 2024. This marks the lowest level of overdose deaths since 2019 and signals a notable shift after years of surging fatalities. Overdose deaths involving opioids specifically fell from approximately 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024. Most states shared in this decline, with places like Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and...