US Drugs and Overdoses

Research, Summary, and Editorial

Drug

Overdose Rate by Year

The rate of drug overdoses increased steadily from 1968 to 2023, before finally having a meaningful decrease in 2024 -- dropping by 28% during Biden's last year, making him the first president to leave office with a lower rate than when he entered, after eight administrations* watched the death rate rise.

Let's hope this is the beginning of a long and steep downward trend.

• Nixon-Ford treated as one administration.

Overdose Rate by Quarter

Transitioning to new quarterly data.

Overdose Rate by Presidential Term

Biden saw an 18% drop from the beginning to end of his first and only term. While the second term of the Nixon-Ford administration saw a small a modest 8% decrease, I don't give credit to that administration as presiding over a period of decrease since the rate increased by a staggering 117% during their first term.