Overdose deaths drop to a 10-year low in Maryland after 26% decline in 2025

Maryland recorded 1,315 overdose deaths in 2025, a 26% decrease from 2024 and a 53% decline from the 2021 high of 2,800; fentanyl-related deaths fell 31% to 906, according to the state dashboard.

Maryland reported a notable decrease in overdose deaths in 2025, with state sources describing the total as a 10-year low. The governor's office and the state's Overdose Data Dashboard provided the figures. Officials said deaths dropped across drug categories and demographic groups. State programs also distributed record amounts of drug test strips and naloxone. Key findings: - Maryland recorded 1,315 overdose deaths in 2025, a 26% decrease from 2024 and a 53% decline from the 2021 high of 2,800. - Fentanyl-related deaths fell 31%, from 1,314 in 2024 to 906 in 2025. - Black residents experienced a 31% decrease in fatal overdoses while white residents saw a 22% decrease; overdose rates for Black men over 55 remained about three times higher than for white men of the same age. - The state's Overdose Response Programs distributed record amounts of drug test strips and naloxone, according to the dashboard. - Baltimore reported 568 overdose deaths in 2025, including 425 that involved fentanyl, a nearly 27% decrease from 777 in 2024. - The city experienced multiple mass overdose incidents in 2025 that were reported as linked to medetomidine; 19 people were indicted in related drug trafficking schemes, and officials reported that residents were encouraged to call or text 988 for behavioral health or substance-use crises. Summary: The reported numbers indicate a substantial reduction in fatal overdoses across Maryland and in Baltimore, with declines reported across drugs and demographic groups. Undetermined at this time.