As drug deaths hit a 5-year low, Trump continues to quote fentanyl as main menace : NPR

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On August 30, 2025

US President Donald Trump speaks before signing the "Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act," which strengthens prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2025.

President Trump speaks earlier than signing the “Halt All Deadly Trafficking of Fentanyl Act,” which strengthens jail sentences for fentanyl traffickers, within the East Room of the White Home in Washington, D.C., on July 16.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Drug deaths within the U.S. have plunged dramatically and steadily because the summer time of 2023, in accordance with the newest preliminary information launched by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

President Trump says fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. is a key reason for imposing tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico. But NPR found that Trump and his team made false statements about the fentanyl crisis. Canada, in particular, plays no meaningful role in America's fentanyl-overdose epidemic.

Figures launched this month by CDC present deadly overdoses falling to 77,648 within the 12-month interval ending in March of this yr. That is the lowest tally of provisional predicted deaths from fentanyl and different road medication since a minimum of March 2020.

Regardless of the extended decline in overdose deaths, relationship again to the center of the Biden administration, President Donald Trump has continued to base a variety of controversial insurance policies — from commerce tariffs to harder legal penalties — on his declare that fentanyl poses a rising menace to Individuals.

Final month, Trump signed the “Halt Fentanyl Act,” establishing 10-year necessary minimal jail sentences for folks convicted of trafficking fentanyl.

“We renew our vow to liberate America from this horrible plague. We’ll be getting the drug sellers, pushers, and peddlers off our streets,” Trump mentioned throughout the signing ceremony. “We is not going to relaxation till we have ended the drug overdose epidemic.”

A billboard put up by Families Against Fentanyl displayed their message in Placentia, CA, in 2023. Responding to outrage over fentanyl deaths, President-elect Donald Trump has promised to get tough on dealers and Mexican cartels.

Trump has additionally threatened army motion in opposition to Mexico concentrating on drug cartels; imposed tariffs on nations based mostly partly on false or exaggerated claims about their position in fentanyl trafficking; and falsely blamed fentanyl trafficking on undocumented migrants.

Based on Trump, his crime emergency marketing campaign in Washington, D.C., was additionally motivated partly by his want to take away folks hooked on fentanyl and different medication from seen areas of the nation’s capital and stress them to just accept remedy.

In an interview with NPR, Dr. Stephen Taylor, head of the American Society of Dependancy Drugs, known as these ways misguided: “[Addiction] is a continual sickness,” Taylor mentioned. “It isn’t the form of factor the place you sweep folks up, you get them higher after which they’re cured without end.”

Critics of Trump’s method to the fentanyl battle additionally concern progress lowering overdose deaths may very well be crippled by Republican cuts to funding for well being and habit applications.

Large city states and small rural states see dramatic enchancment

However for now, drug deaths proceed to ease, with many states seeing 30-40% enhancements within the final yr alone.

The state of Virginia has seen drug overdose deaths plunge by more than 40% in a single year. Many other states are seeing improvements above 30%. Why is this happening? Researchers say it may be a combination of factors, some hopeful and some painful.

In West Virginia, deadly overdoses fell from 1,330 within the 12-month interval by March 2024 to 772 within the 12-month interval by March 2025. The provisional information suggests a surprising decline of almost 42 %.

Additionally, states with a lot greater inhabitants, together with California, Florida and New York, are seeing huge drops in deaths attributable to road medication. In all, drug deaths have eased by roughly one third from the height measured in 2023.

Public well being and habit specialists proceed to review why overdoses are falling so precipitously.

Some cite profitable efforts in disrupting legal fentanyl provide chains. Others level to a fast enchancment in well being care and remedy for folks experiencing habit.

The newest CDC information additionally revises a earlier report that appeared to indicate a small however ominous uptick in drug deaths within the 12-month interval ending in January of this yr. The brand new information suggests deadly overdoses have now fallen persistently, with out interruption, because the summer time of 2023.

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