Reporter's Notebook: Eight theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting

Thirty thousand fewer people are dying every year in the U.S. from fentanyl and other street drugs. This shift has stunned addiction experts, reversing decades of rising death. Here are eight theories on why things are getting better.

Mar 24, 2025 - 12:13
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Reporter's Notebook: Eight theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting
The state of Virginia has seen drug overdose deaths plunge by more than 40 percent in a single year.  Many other states are seeing improvements above 30 percent.  Why is this happening?  Researchers say it may be a combination of factors, some hopeful, some painful.

Thirty thousand fewer people are dying every year in the U.S. from fentanyl and other street drugs. This shift has stunned addiction experts, reversing decades of rising death. Here are eight theories on why things are getting better.

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