Maine Sees 20% Drop in Fatal Drug Overdoses in 2025

Fourth consecutive year of decline as harm reduction efforts and declining fentanyl prevalence fuel the trend

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Maine saw a 20% decrease in fatal drug overdoses in 2025, marking the fourth straight year of decline. State officials attribute the downward trend to expanded harm reduction initiatives, including wider distribution of naloxone, as well as a declining prevalence of fentanyl in street drugs.

Why it matters

After over a decade of increasing overdose deaths, this sustained decline in Maine is a significant public health achievement. The progress highlights the impact of harm reduction strategies and the importance of addressing the underlying drivers of the opioid crisis, such as the prevalence of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

The details

Maine recorded 390 overdose deaths in 2025, down from 490 the previous year. Nonfatal overdoses also dropped by 9%. State officials say the multiyear downward trend is being driven by Maine's harm reduction efforts, including wider distribution of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and expanding recovery and treatment options. The report also found that fentanyl caused more than half of Maine's fatal overdoses last year, down from 70% the prior year, suggesting the declining prevalence of fentanyl in street drugs is a contributing factor.

  • Maine saw a record high of over 700 overdose deaths in 2022.
  • In 2025, Maine recorded 390 overdose deaths, a 20% decrease from 2024.

The players

Gordon Smith

Director of the state's opioid response.

Aaron Frey

Maine Attorney General.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue doing all we can to prevent people from using drugs and ensure that those who need treatment can get it to maintain this momentum across Maine's cities and towns.”

— Gordon Smith, Director of the state's opioid response (sunjournal.com)

“This milestone provides critical confirmation that the work we are doing at present — whether it's the naloxone distribution, the expenditures for low-barrier shelters and treatment programming, educating medical providers, supporting law enforcement, all of our hard work — is saving lives.”

— Aaron Frey, Maine Attorney General (sunjournal.com)

What’s next

Maine is set to receive $230 million in the coming decades from pharmaceutical companies who settled years of litigation alleging drug manufacturers, distributors and retailers fueled the nationwide opioid epidemic. At least $14 million of that money has been doled out to dozens of projects across the state, ranging from the construction of new treatment and recovery centers to needle exchange programs.

The takeaway

Maine's sustained decline in fatal drug overdoses, driven by expanded harm reduction efforts and a decrease in fentanyl prevalence, demonstrates the impact of a comprehensive, public health-focused approach to addressing the opioid crisis. This progress provides a model for other states grappling with the devastating toll of the overdose epidemic.