Drug overdose deaths are down in L.A. County in 2025. Here's why

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Set us as preferred For the third year in a row, accidental drug-related overdose and poisoning deaths have dropped in Los Angeles County, a decline officials attribute to ongoing investments in prevention and harm reduction resources countywide.There were 2,298 accidental drug overdose and poisoning deaths in 2025, down 6%, a relatively small drop from 2,438 the prior year but an overall substantial reduction from the all-time high of 3,220 deaths countywide in 2022, according to a recent report from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.Drug overdoses continue to be the leading cause of accidental deaths countywide — surpassing the deaths due to vehicle crashes and firearms in 2017 combined — with methamphetamine and fentanyl most often involved in the overdoses.

The problem reached a historic high in 2022 when fentanyl surpassed methamphetamine as the most common drug listed as a cause of overdose deaths.At the time, the number of overdoses in general had increased across the board.

However, these accidental deaths have been on a downward trend, with a nearly 30% overall decrease in drug-related overdoses from 2022 to 2025.Fentanyl-related deaths dropped by 40% and methamphetamine-related deaths declined by 25% in that period.

World & Nation It was the third straight annual drop, making it the longest decline in decades, according to federal data released Wednesday.Officials said in the report that the numbers are more modest compared with 2024, when accidental overdose deaths plunged overall by 22%, which they said “demonstrates sustained progress in the County’s efforts to address the overdose crisis.”“Three consecutive years of fewer overdose deaths in LA County is proof that sustained investments in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services saves lives,” Barbara Ferre...