Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. fell by 12.7% between May 2023 and 2024. As the Office of National Drug Control Policy notes, this marks the largest recorded reduction in overdose deaths. It also marks six consecutive months of reported decreases. What has driven the recent declines? Which policies and interventions have proven particularly effective? And what work still needs to be done where overdose death rates are still rising? Alicia Sasser Modestino joins EconoFact Chats to discuss these issues.

Alicia is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, and Economics at Northeastern University, where she also serves as Research Director of the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy.