Overdose Deaths Are Decreasing, but Our Work Is Not Finished

After years of devastating loss, the United States is seeing meaningful progress in the overdose crisis. 

The latest provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts 68,641 overdose deaths during the 12 months ending in February 2026 - a 12.1% decline from the preceding 12-month period. 

That represents thousands of lives potentially saved and families spared unimaginable grief. But 69,000 predicted deaths are still 69,000 too many. 

Although rates declined across every racial and ethnic group in 2024, CDC data show that overdose death rates remained highest among American Indian and Alaska Native people, while Black people experienced higher rates than White and Hispanic people, underscoring the work still needed to ensure equitable outcomes across all communities. 

The decline is encouraging, but it cannot be the only measure of progress. We must also ensure that more people receive support before an overdose, survive when one occurs, and have access to the quality care they need to recover. 

Twenty-five years on, still needed 

August 31st marks International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those who have died and support the people who carry their loss. 

This year marks the campaign’s 25th anniversary, with the theme “25 Years On. Still Needed.” 

Encouragingly, naloxone has become more widely available. Communities have expanded prevention, harm reduction, and evidence-based treatment. More people understand that substance use disorder is a treatable medical condition and not a moral failing. 

But progress hasn’t reached everyone equally. Too many people still can’t access quality care, and stigma continues to keep people from asking for help. 

Every number represents a person 

Statistics show the scale of the overdose crisis, but they cannot capture the full significance of someone’s life. 

Shatterproof’s National Addiction Memorial gives families and friends a place to honor loved ones lost to addiction by sharing their stories, photos and memories. 

Each memorial reminds us that the people we’ve lost were more than the circumstances of their deaths, and more than a statistic. They were parents, children, siblings, partners, and friends with passions, dreams, and people who love them. 

If you’ve lost someone and feel ready to share their story, you can create a memorial here.  

Three ways to act

Remember 

Take time on August 31st to honor someone lost to overdose. Light a candle, share a favorite memory, post about them, or reach out to someone else carrying that grief. Small acts of remembrance help us remember each person for the life they lived and the love they left behind. 

Prepare

Learn the signs of an overdose, carry naloxone, and learn how to respond. 

International Overdose Awareness Day is also an important opportunity to learn about and share lifesaving overdose prevention resources. 

Speak

Use compassionate, person-first language and share evidence-based information to combat stigma. Check in with people who may be impacted, and remind them that they are not alone, help is available, and recovery is possible.  

Most importantly, don’t allow a decrease in overdose numbers to become a reason to look away. The decline shows that change is possible. Continuing it will require sustained investment in prevention, treatment and recovery support. 

We remember and we keep going 

Twenty-five years on, overdose awareness is still needed.  

We remember because every life lost matters and we act because lives can still be saved.