Why Fentanyl Deaths Are Down (Hint: China)

Deaths tied to fentanyl have declined, reversing part of the surge seen during the fentanyl era, according to the article. A 2025 study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University linked “deaths of despair” to a constellation of 19 underlying causes and found the measure rose 2.5 times from 1999 to 2021, with a significant increase around 2014. The piece notes that overdose fatalities peaked in 2022 at 107,941, while CDC figures show 66,712 year-over-year deaths as of the end of March this year—driven largely by fewer fentanyl deaths. Heroin overdose deaths also dropped from 15,482 in 2017 to 2,743 in 2024. The article points to reported declines in fentanyl purity and shortages tied to precursor chemical supply from China.