Rhode Island Overdose Deaths Declining

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island overdoses declined for a third straight year.

Gov. Dan McKee and the Overdose Task Force announced that overdose deaths in the state decreased by 50% since 2022, surpassing a goal of reducing overdose deaths by 30% by 2030, according to a media release.

New data from the Rhode Island Department of Health shows 219 people died from accidental overdoses in 2025, down from 329 in 2024 and 436 in 2022, the release said.

"This is the lowest number of overdose deaths the state has seen since before 2013, when overdose deaths began to precipitously rise, and overdose was recognized as a major public health crisis," per the release.

“Today’s announcement of Rhode Island’s decrease in overdose deaths shows what is possible when the State works hand-in-hand with the community, with a shared commitment to getting people into recovery and saving and improving lives,” McKee said in the release.

“Any overdose is one too many," McKee said. "We have more work to do, but we should be proud of the progress we have made as a State.”

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