Governor Hochul Highlights New Figures Showing Substantial Reduction in Overdose Deaths in New York State Through 2025

Governor Kathy Hochul todayhighlighted new provisional figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics System, which show a substantial reduction in overdose deaths in New York State from 2022 through 2025. The annual number of drug fatalities fell for a third year in a row and decreased by 44.9% in New York. That's more than 5,000 lives saved. The largest reductions were seen in opioid-related deaths, which are down 51.9% since 2022.

"As Governor, I have been committed to reversing the opioid and overdose epidemic by making historic investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and Recovery services and supports," Governor Hochul said. "I am very pleased that over the past three years, we have seen a decline in overall overdose deaths. However, the hard work continues. We will continue our focus on removing health disparities and responding to new substances that are emerging in the illicit drug supply. Every overdose that occurs is one too many and addressing these public health challenges requires an ongoing and dynamic response."

New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, "Thanks to Governor Hochul's dedication and leadership, and working with our partner agencies and stakeholders, OASAS has been able to significantly expand our entire range of services, including the successful Harm Reduction Delivered initiative, that provides life-saving supplies directly to the homes of New Yorkers. This critical work remains ongoing, to build on the progress made, and to ensure that overdose rates continue to decline in all communities across NYS. We are grateful for the Governor's unwavering commitment to addressing this issue.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, "The decreasing number of overdose deaths reflected in the data is a good sign and shows the work being done is making a difference, but more must be done to reach all communities and ensure we can achieve an overdose-free generation. The Department remains committed to working with our dedicated community and statewide partners to further advance harm reduction strategies and ensure lifesaving resources are widely available across the state. We not only collect and analyze data, but also use it to inform and take quick action when new drug threats or patterns of use (such as polysubstance use of stimulants and opioids) arise."

State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "The provisional numbers from the CDC are encouraging. It devastates me that my neighbors in The Bronx have not seen the same decline in deaths. I am very thankful that the Governor is allocating funding for programs and services to support New Yorkers that are suffering from opioid addiction. I hope this investment will help target the areas that need increased attention to save lives."

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, "The progress we are seeing in New York shows that when we treat addiction as a public health issue and invest in prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction, lives can be saved. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to this work. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders, I know our work is not finished, and we must continue strengthening the services New Yorkers rely on when they are ready for help."

Assemblymember Phil Steck said, "Commissioner Cunningham's emphasis on medication assisted treatment has undoubtedly contributed to the substantial reduction in overdoses. Saving lives is critical. I look forward to working with the Governor, the Commissioner, and my colleagues in the legislature to also increase support for those seeking recovery assistance, such as long-term residential treatment."

The three-year decline in fatal drug overdoses reflects the ongoing work of New York State, under the leadership of Governor Hochul, to expand and enhance services in all regions of the state. The Governor has taken significant steps to ensure that all New Yorkers can access the help and support they need and has directed millions of dollars to support a wide range of programs.

The Governor's 2027 Executive Budget proposal continues this work, including new budget initiatives to further support the addiction workforce, as well as youth-focused initiatives such as a youth-led prevention campaign, additional young adult recovery residences and expansion of youth support services at recovery centers.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found on the NYS OASAS website. Important harm reduction resources can be found on the New York State Department of Health's new Overdose Free Generation webpage.