FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky recorded its fourth consecutive year of declining overdose deaths in 2025, with a 22.9% decrease compared with the previous year and a 50.8% decrease from 2021, Gov. Andy Beshear announced April 30.
According to the 2025 Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report, 1,110 Kentuckians lost their lives to a drug overdose last year — the lowest number recorded since 2014 and the second-largest single-year decrease since Kentucky began reporting overdose deaths in 2012.
"We mourn all 1,101 Kentuckians who lost their lives to a drug overdose last year. They were a mom, dad, brother, sister, child or neighbor – and most importantly a child of God who is gone too soon," Gov. Beshear said. "While we are proud of the progress we have made in fighting addiction, we know we must continue working every day to save more Kentuckians from addiction."
The 2025 figure represents a 50.8% decline from 2021, which saw the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in Kentucky, a release from Beshear read.
Fentanyl was present in 45.4% of deaths in 2025, down from 62.3% in 2024, the release explained. Methamphetamine was present in 49.5% of deaths, down from 50.8% in 2024. The two drugs continue to be the most prevalent contributors to overdose deaths in the state.
Among Black Kentuckians, 129 deaths in 2025 were attributed to a drug overdose — a 25.4% decrease compared with the prior year and the second straight annual decline among that demographic, according to the release.
Office of Drug Control Policy Executive Director Van Ingram said the progress reflects a statewide effort.
"Addiction has affected every state in our nation and has caused insurmountable harm to families and future generations – even in our own hometowns," Ingram said. "But Kentuckians did not just accept this fate; we got up and we fought back. And because we worked together, because of every Kentuckian who sought recovery, because of everyone loving their neighbor and saying enough is enough, lives have been saved. For anyone facing addiction today, know that you will find hope, strength and recovery in Kentucky – please let us help."
Since the Office of Drug Control Policy began producing annual drug overdose fatality reports — 14 in total — 8 have shown an increase in deaths and 6 have shown a decrease.
According to the release, four of the six decreases have occurred under Gov. Beshear's administration:
- 2024: 30.2% decrease compared with 2023 — the largest single-year decrease in state history.
- 2023: 9.8% decrease compared with 2022.
- 2022: 2.5% decrease compared with 2021 — the first decrease since 2018.
- 2025: 22.9% decrease compared with 2024.
The governor credited a broad coalition of community leaders, nonprofit organizations, first responders and advocates for the continued progress. Key efforts in 2025 included:
- More than $29 million distributed in grant and pass-through funding from the Office of Drug Control Policy;
- 182,810 doses of Narcan distributed;
- 82 syringe exchange program sites serving 25,543 unique participants;
- More than 137,000 Kentuckians receiving addiction services through Medicaid;
- More than 19,100 Kentuckians receiving addiction treatment paid for by the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort;
- More than 29,900 Kentuckians receiving recovery services — including housing assistance, employment services, transportation and basic needs — through the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort;
- 23 Kentuckians seeking treatment through the Kentucky State Police Angel Initiative;
- 3,005 incoming calls to the KY HELP Call Center, with 19,138 outgoing follow-up calls;
- More than 52,800 school-aged students participating in substance use prevention curriculum supported by the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort;
- 39 counties now certified as Recovery Ready Communities, representing more than 2.1 million Kentuckians.
During the first 3 months of this year, Kentucky State Police seized more than $5.4 million worth of drugs — $3.1 million more than during the same period last year, according to Beshear. Last year, state police also helped 15 individuals through the Angel Initiative, a program that connects people struggling with addiction to recovery resources with no questions asked.
In November of last year, Gov. Beshear classified 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) as a Schedule I narcotic, making it illegal to sell, possess or distribute any isolated or concentrated forms of the substance — a form of kratom — in Kentucky. That action followed a similar move to schedule bromazolam, known as "designer Xanax," as a Schedule I narcotic. Both classifications give Kentucky law enforcement the authority to make arrests for sales or possession.
Last summer, the commonwealth released the 2024 Crime in Kentucky Report, which showed serious crime rates decreased by nearly 8%, including an 11.55% decrease in drug and narcotic offenses, a 12.7% decrease in homicide offenses and a 13.78% decrease in sex offenses, according to Beshear's report.
