Massachusetts Opioid-related Overdose Deaths Fall Under 1,000 for the First Time in Over a Decade

Massachusetts Opioid-related Overdose Deaths Fall Under 1,000 for the First Time in Over a Decade   Preliminary 2025 data project that the state’s opioid-related overdose deaths declined by more than half since fatal overdoses hit a record high in 2022 BOSTON (June 5, 2026) – For the first time in over a decade, total annual opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts fell below 1,000, according to Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) preliminary 2025 data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  There were 978 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths among Massachusetts residents last year – marking the first time since 2013 (992 deaths) that Massachusetts recorded fewer than 1,000 annual opioid-related overdose deaths. It also marks a nearly 60 percent decline in fatal opioid overdoses in the state since the devastating record high of 2,364 deaths in 2022. “This projected decline represents thousands of lives saved, families kept whole, and communities strengthened,” said Governor Maura Healey. “It also represents the tireless efforts of clinicians, service providers, community support programs, and advocates across the Commonwealth who continue to dedicate themselves to this life-saving work.” Opioid-related overdose deaths in 2025 are estimated to be 27 percent lower than in 2024, and build on a recent, and sustained, downward trend in fatal opioid overdoses in the state, which include a 36 percent year-over-year reduction in 2024 and a 10 percent reduction in 2023. This major public health milestone is a direct result of sustained, statewide investments in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery support, and community-based wrap-around supports. “This progress, experienced by families across the Commonwealth as years of extra joy and life, is the result of a comprehensive and collaborative public health response that has prioritized evidence-based care, community partnership, and compassion,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kiame Mahaniah, M.D., MBA. “Data show us that providing access to housing, harm reduction, treatment options, and supportive peer communities works to prevent overdose—and the Commonwealth will continue its commitment to supporting and expanding access to these tools and services.” DPH is conducting further data analysis and, by late summer, will be able to share more in-depth insights into how this decrease is reflected in Massachusetts communities and subpopulations. These data will be shared on the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) Dashboard. DPH recently published its 2024 Opioid-Involved Overdose Report, which provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the opioid overdose crisis in Massachusetts and reviews trends in fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses. The report outlines three primary hypotheses for the nearly 37 percentdecrease in deaths seen in 2024, including a potentially safer street drug supply resulting in reduced risk of fatal overdose; a decrease in the number of people at high risk for overdose; and the positive impact of expanded overdose prevention resources and treatment policies. “Massachusetts remains steadfast in its commitment to expanding access to treatment, overdose prevention tools, recovery supports, and community-based services in ways that are equity-based and responsive to community needs,” said DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, M.D., PhD. “The recent decreases in overdose deaths reflect the positive impact and reach of this work and remind us that these efforts must persist. Overdose deaths are completely preventable. DPH will continue to invest in data-driven and dignity-affirming approaches to substance use.” The overdose declines seen in the Massachusetts data reflect a broader national trend of declining overdose deaths; however, Massachusetts continues to rank among the leading states demonstrating the most substantial reductions in mortality. “While a 27 percent decrease in opioid overdose deaths is encouraging and reflects the impact of sustained investments in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support, we must never lose sight of the fact that behind every data point is a person — a loved one, a family member, a friend, a neighbor,” said DPH BSAS Director Deirdre Calvert, LICSW. “Nobody is a nobody, and everyone has a somebody. Our work is ultimately about people, about saving lives, and about ensuring that every person struggling with substance use knows that they matter and that recovery is possible.” The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to supporting public health strategies and resources to address substance use and substance use disorders. From 2023 to the present, the Administration has invested more than $1 billion in substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery programs across the state. In fiscal year 2025 alone, this included funding over 150,000 naloxone kits for community organizations, over 10,000 naloxone kits for first responders, and nearly 400,000 fentanyl test strips for community use. Additional supports include funding SafeSpot, a virtual overdose spotting hotline; fostering access to inpatient, residential, outpatient, and other forms of treatment through the licensing and regulation of over 500 treatment programs; funding low-threshold housing; and investing in 39 peer-recovery support centers that serve over 13,000 individuals across the Commonwealth.