Home Economy Government Overdose deaths in R.I. fall for third year in a row

Overdose deaths in R.I. fall for third year in a row

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PBN Staff

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06/10/2026

OVERDOSE DEATHS in Rhode Island have dropped 50% since 2022, surpassing the state’s 2030 goal to reduce overdose deaths by 30%, Gov. Daniel J. McKee and the Governor’s Overdose Task Force announced Wednesday. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

PROVIDENCE – Overdose deaths in Rhode Island have dropped 50% since 2022, surpassing the state’s 2030 goal to reduce overdose deaths by 30%, Gov. Daniel J. McKee and the Governor’s Overdose Task Force announced Wednesday. This marks the third consecutive year that fatal overdoses decreased statewide in Rhode Island. Data collected by the R.I. Department of Health’s Substance Use Epidemiology

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PROVIDENCE – Overdose deaths in Rhode Island have dropped 50% since 2022, surpassing the state’s 2030 goal to reduce overdose deaths by 30%, Gov. Daniel J. McKee and the Governor’s Overdose Task Force announced Wednesday. This marks the third consecutive year that fatal overdoses decreased statewide in Rhode Island. Data collected by the R.I. Department of Health’s Substance Use Epidemiology Program shows 219 people lost their lives to accidental overdoses in 2025, down from 329 in 2024 and 436 in 2022. This is the lowest number of overdose deaths the state has seen since before 2013, when overdose deaths began to precipitously rise, and overdoses were recognized as a major public health crisis. “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. “Any overdose is one too many. We have more work to do, but we should be proud of the progress we have made as a state.” The task force focuses on four areas guided by the state’s strategic plan: prevention, rescue and harm reduction, treatment and recovery. The work is also focused on racial equality so diverse community voices are heard during decision-making processes. “Community voices have helped guide this work from the beginning,” said Cathy Schultz, director of the Governor’s Overdose Task Force. “People with lived experience and community partners have been integral to moving this progress forward. We are grateful to every community member who shares their time, expertise and leadership to help save lives and support this work across our state.” Data on fatal drug overdoses in Rhode Island is collected by the R.I. Office of the State Medical Examiners and state health laboratories. Because many cases need complicated drug testing, it can take months to complete and confirm yearly overdose data. The most recent data shows that males accounted for 73% of drug overdose deaths. In 2025, the rate of fatal overdose decreased among all racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic Black Rhode Islanders had the highest burden of fatal overdose, followed by non-Hispanic white Rhode Islanders and Hispanic or Latino Rhode Islanders. Similar to previous years, the percentage of overdose deaths involving any opioids stood at 73%, with fentanyl contributing to 57% of all overdose deaths. In most of these cases, another substance was also present, according to toxicology reports. Stimulant-involved overdose deaths continued to be more common among non-Hispanic Black individuals (88%), while opioid-involved overdose deaths were more common among Hispanic or Latino individuals (91%). About 74% of overdose deaths took place in private settings. Woonsocket had the highest rates of fatal overdoses with 48.4 overdoses per 100,000 residents. Providence was second, with 42.7 per 100,000 residents and Warwick was third with 15.7 per 100,000. The full data can be found here.