Statement from CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control on Provisional 2024 Overdose Death Data

Provisional data released from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System shows a remarkable decrease of nearly 27% in predicted drug overdose deaths in 2024 compared to the average in 2023. This decline suggests more than 81 lives are saved every day.

Since President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency in 2017, Congressional support has enabled the CDC to expand critical data systems and strengthen overdose prevention capacity across all states. These investments have empowered us to rapidly collect, analyze, and share actionable data—enabling communities to better understand the specific drivers of overdose in their areas and tailor prevention strategies to meet their unique local needs. Since late 2023, overdose deaths have steadily declined each month—a strong sign that public health interventions are making a difference and having a meaningful impact.

Despite these overall improvements, overdose remains the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-44, highlighting the need for continuous efforts to sustain this progress. Through sustained funding to support prevention and surveillance initiatives such as the Overdose Data to Action program, we will continue striving toward a future in which Americans no longer lose their lives to drug overdoses.

CDC remains committed to preventing substance use disorders before they start, expanding access to treatment, and strengthening recovery pathways to build a healthier future for all Americans.