The surprise drop in drug overdose deaths in the U.S.

By Noah Caldwell,

Brian Mann, Scott Detrow

Published March 29, 2025 at 5:54 PM EDT

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, Brian Mann explores the potential reasons for the surprise drop in overdose deaths across the country, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

NPR News

Noah Caldwell

See stories by Noah Caldwell

Brian Mann

Brian Mann is NPR's first national addiction correspondent. He also covers breaking news in the U.S. and around the world.

Scott Detrow

Scott Detrow is a White House correspondent for NPR and co-hosts the NPR Politics Podcast.

See stories by Scott Detrow

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