Wisconsin residents are seeing a sharp decline in overdose deaths after years of record losses. The downward trend offers cautious hope to people affected by opioid addiction and the communities working to fight it. 

Overdose deaths in the state hit a record high of 1,830 in 2022, then fell more than 35% by 2024, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In Milwaukee County, deaths peaked at 674 in 2022 and have dropped every year since.

The drop comes as millions of dollars from a national settlement against drug makers and distributors have flowed into local drug resistance programs. The state expects to receive nearly $800 million through 2038, split between the state and 87 local governments. The funds supplement The Badger State’s abundance of inpatient services and local grassroots community efforts like Narcotics Anonymous have made a large impact in reducing the death toll.

A Turnaround After Record Highs

State officials point to no single cause. Michelle Haese is director of substance use initiatives at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. She described the decline in deaths as the apex of years of effort. “This is a public health ecosystem working as intended,” she reported. Haese added that the state is cautiously hopeful but that there is still a long way to go.

Communities have expanded access to naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication, and worked to connect more people to treatment and share information about available resources. This approach has worked; Wisconsin’s decline in deaths statewide mirrors a national trend that started in 2023 and continues today.

Fentanyl’s Role in the Crisis

The gains follow a decade of rising deaths driven largely by synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This illicit opioid is often found in other substances such as cocaine, heroin and counterfeit pills, and officials note that many victims had no idea they were taking it. Understanding that risk is central to harm reduction because a person may be exposed to fentanyl blends without ever intending to use an opioid.

That’s where harm reduction comes in. In addition to naloxone, fentanyl test strips can help folks check a substance before use. These tools don’t replace treatment, but they keep people alive long enough to reach it.

Treatment & Care for Opioid Addiction

Medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone, can help people reduce or stop opioid use, and state officials cited their expanded availability as part of the progress. Recovery is rarely a single step, and many people combine medication with counseling and peer support.

Many people on the path to recovery begin by signing up with their local Narcotics Anonymous chapter. These meetings offer free, judgment-free peer support no matter your background or life circumstances. These in-person and online formats complement medical treatment rather than compete with it.

Starting with NA

Finding your local NA chapter is simple. There are meetings across Wisconsin and nationwide, along with opioid treatment resources. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) for opioid addiction treatment options at any time or browse our directory to locate an NA site in any community.

A candlelight vigil in Great Falls has put a human face on Montana’s opioid crisis, honoring people lost to fentanyl addiction, domestic violence and suicide. Dozens gathered on the historic 10th Street Bridge on June 24 to remember loved ones and to remind people still struggling with opioid addiction that support is available.

Montana features a wide range of programs to help folks of all backgrounds combat substance abuse. Inpatient centers provide medications while local grassroots Narcotics Anonymous chapters dot the landscape, However, many people in The Treasure State still fall victim to drugs, and the vigil took the opportunity to pay respects and to spread awareness.

The Opioid Crisis Takes Great Falls

Cascade County continues to feel the weight of overdose and suicide. Data showed the county experienced at least 27 overdose deaths and 25 suicide deaths in 2025. With new opioids entering the street scene, these numbers are poised to rise. 

The county accounted for only about 7% of Montana’s inbound crisis-line calls, but also had 15% of the overdose deaths across the state. It’s an alarmingly disproportionate share that organizers say represents real families and neighbors, not just statistics.

Remembering Those Lost

For Jeree Lapier, the vigil was personal. His brother, Nathaniel Chase Lapier, fell victim to a fentanyl overdose back in 2024. Lapier said few people understand fentanyl until it reaches their own family. Lapier noted that saying his brother’s name aloud is one way to keep him from being forgotten. 

Rosalie Kuska is a peer recovery coach at The Sober Life. She relayed that speaking openly about addiction and recovery and self-harm helps survivors and their family members feel less isolated. In addition to The Sober Life, Dynamic Recovery and Illumination Recovery sponsored the vigil.

Understanding Fentanyl & Harm Reduction

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more powerful than other street drugs, and even a small amount can be fatal. It’s increasingly found mixed in counterfeit pills and other drugs, often without the person’s knowledge. This trend has sharply raised the risk of overdose. 

People recover through many paths, including medication for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine or methadone, counseling and peer support, and mutual-aid societies. 

Naloxone is often sold under the brand name Narcan and can reverse an opioid overdose if it’s given in time. Carrying naloxone and using fentanyl test strips are practical steps that keep people alive long enough to find recovery. 

Peer recovery coaches, like those who organized the vigil, can help connect people to the next step.

A First Step to Stop Opioid Addiction

If you or someone you love is struggling, help in Montana and beyond is close at hand:

• Find NA meetings in any location to enlist peer support with drug addiction

• Ask a provider about medications to reduce cravings

• Keep naloxone on hand and learn the signs of an opioid overdose

Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to go over opioid addiction treatment options with an expert. Or, browse our directory to an NA chapter anywhere in the U.S., organized by location.

Maine’s drug overdose deaths continue to decline as 2026 progresses. The drop shows that wider access to naloxone and treatment in The Pine Tree State has kept more people alive. Local Narcotics Anonymous chapters and other grassroots efforts have also played roles in keeping the numbers down.

The Opioid Crisis in Maine

Opioids such as prescription drugs like oxycodone slow breathing. An opioid overdose can stop you from breathing entirely. 

The good news is that from January through April 2026, Maine recorded 109 overdose deaths, down from 132 over the same period in 2025. Deaths peaked in the state in 2022 at 723 and have declined every year since and fell to 390 in 2025. 

Overdose deaths nationwide dropped 13.2% in 2025. One director of opioid response reported that Maine is getting better at keeping people alive but that the long-term focus needs to be prevention.

Driving the Change in Maine

One factor may be the shrinking role of fentanyl. The powerful synthetic opioid was present in 78% of Maine overdose deaths in 2023 and 72% in 2024 before dropping to the 50% percentile in 2026. At the same time, cocaine appeared in a larger share of deaths from 37% in 2023 to 45% in 2025. Maine is seeing less fentanyl, and that while cocaine is lethal, it doesn’t kill as readily. 

Dr. Noah Nesin, a Bangor-area physician and opioid expert, cautioned that it’s hard to know why deaths are down since use doesn’t appear to have dropped.

However, nonfatal overdoses have moved in the other direction. They rose from 8,045 in 2024 to 9,072 in 2025 and climbed another 3.6% through the first four months of 2026. 

Understanding Naloxone

Still, experts caution against drawing conclusions from that trend. Courtney Gary-Allen of the Maine Recovery Access Project observed that harm reduction works. She noted that clean syringes and naloxone keep people alive until they can get help. Maine’s 2022 Good Samaritan law has also made people less afraid to call 911.

Gary-Allen and other officials have credited naloxone, which is known by the brand name Narcan. Naloxone rapidly reverses an opioid overdose and has no effect on someone without opioids in their system.

Others enroll in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for their opioid use disorders. MAT has proven to mitigate withdrawal symptoms and improve counseling retention.

Find Help with NA

People facing opioid addiction have several options that can work together. Peer support through Narcotics Anonymous is a popular first step and many folks combine NA with MAT and therapy. 

You can search for NA meetings in Maine or anywhere else in the country by calling 800-934-1582(Sponsored) for opioid addiction treatment options. Or simply browse our directory for verified listings filtered by location.

Illinois recorded a major decline in opioid overdose deaths, a hopeful sign for people affected by opioid addiction and the families supporting them. Opioid-related deaths in the Land of Lincoln fell 36% from 2023 to 2024, partly due to the wide range of programs, from inpatient treatment centers to local Narcotics Anonymous groups. As reported by Trust for America’s Health, deaths tied to synthetic opioids like fentanyl fell even further, by 38% statewide. Cook County and Chicago reported a 37% drop over the same period.

The Opioid Crisis in Illinois

The decline follows a smaller decrease the year before, when opioid overdose deaths nationally fell about 10% from 2022 to 2023. Illinois also saw suicides fall 9%, though alcohol-induced deaths inched up about 3%. Overall, deaths tied to alcohol, drugs and suicide dropped 18% in Illinois and 16% nationally, which Trust for America’s Health President and CEO Dr. J. Nadine Gracia called the first significant combined decrease since the data began in the late 1990s.

Driving the Downward Trend

Experts credit wider access to naloxone, which can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is safe to give if an overdose is suspected. Narcan, the nasal-spray form of naloxone, was approved for over-the-counter use in 2023 and has been more widely embraced since. In addition, fentanyl test strips and a shift toward harm reduction have also contributed to the growing number of positive outcomes.

“We see Narcan as a way of really opening the door towards more engagement,” noted Ann Brekke of Chicago-based Thresholds. For many folks in recovery, “narcan is just the beginning of the relationship, not the end.” 

Raymond Law, who has been in recovery for 43 years and works with the Gateway Foundation, reported that meeting people where they are has been especially helpful.

Fentanyl Tied to Opioids and Naloxone

Fentanyl still drives most deaths. Cook County data from 2024 indicated that 92% of opioid overdose deaths in Chicago involved fentanyl. Adults ages 55 to 64 made up the largest share of opioid-involved deaths in Chicago, and Black residents continued to have a higher mortality rate than white and Hispanic residents.

Opioids include prescription medications such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone, along with illicit street drugs like heroin. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are far more potent and can be mixed into other drugs without a person knowing. 

Harm Reduction & Treatment

Free naloxone and fentanyl test strips are increasingly available through public health departments and libraries. 

Medication for opioid use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine, is an evidence-based treatment, and peer support through Narcotics Anonymous helps many people in recovery.

Officials cautioned that continued progress depends on sustained funding, including opioid-settlement dollars.

NA a First Step for Opioid Addiction

If you or someone you love is affected, find NA meetings in Illinois and across the country. Start by browsing our directory for NA groups in any neighborhood. Or, call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to chat with an expert for opioid addiction treatment options, including inquiries for local naloxone distribution sites.

Every June 26, World Drug Day puts a simple idea at the center of the conversation about opioid addiction and drug use: accurate information saves lives. For people at risk of a drug overdose, the day is a reminder for them and their families that good facts from reliable sources are part of how recovery and overdose prevention actually happen.

World Drug Day

The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, also called World Drug Day, is observed on June 26 each year to strengthen action toward a world free of drug misuse. The need reflects the growing drug market as new substances and markets pop up worldwide.

The first line of defense is to know the facts. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) frames the observance around sharing facts and combating misinformation. Their goal is to encourage people to know the facts and share information only from verified sources.

UNODC publishes the annual World Drug Report and emphasizes a science-based and health-focused approach. Its core message is direct: share the real facts on drugs to help save lives.

Facts Matter in the Opioid Crisis

Misinformation isn’t harmless. When people don’t know that fentanyl now contaminates much of the illicit drug supply, or that naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose, the gaps cost lives. Clear and accurate information helps someone recognize the signs of an overdose, understand that they can treat opioid use disorders, and know that effective options exist.

This is also where stigma does damage. Treating addiction as a moral failing rather than a health condition keeps people from asking for help. The facts point the other way. Recovery is possible and local support exists.

Recognize Opioids & Overdose

Opioids include prescription painkillers or street drugs like heroin and fentanyl. The latter is a synthetic opioid that’s often mixed with other street drugs. An opioid overdose can slow or stop breathing; signs include pinpoint pupils, unresponsiveness, and slow or absent breathing. 

Naloxone can reverse it if given in time, which is why harm-reduction tools matter alongside treatment.

For folks with opioid use disorders, evidence-based options include medication-assisted treatment combined with counseling and peer support. These paths complement each other.

NA Meetings Support Recovery

For many people in recovery from narcotic or opioid addiction, Narcotics Anonymous offers ongoing peer support. For first-timers, NA meetings bring together people who understand drug addiction firsthand, are free to attend, and are available in person and online. NA welcomes people regardless of which substances they have used.

Help for Opioid Addiction via NA and Beyond

This World Drug Day, the most useful thing you can do may be the simplest: share accurate facts, and know where to turn. You can start by finding NA meetings anywhere in the country through our directory.

Or, feel free to chat with a specialist by dialing 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to locate opioid treatment programs. You can also access harm-reduction resources like naloxone and fentanyl test strips through local health departments and community organizations.

The fentanyl crisis has touched countless families, and a growing national movement is channeling that grief into awareness and action to prevent future deaths. Walk for Lives, organized by United Against Fentanyl, now has chapters in cities across the country to give people affected by the opioid crisis a way to show up for one another and connect with resources.

Enter Walk for Lives

Walk for Lives has blossomed into a national movement made up of families, advocates and communities who’ve turned grief into activism. They’ve planned events in cities nationwide on July 11 and in Washington, D.C. on September 26. Organizers describe the Walk as an army of bereaved family members who refuse to stay silent. This grassroots movement brings lifesaving awareness, education and resources to cities and towns across America.

United Against Fentanyl’s campaign joins others that have offered ways to participate beyond attending. Grieving families have found outlets to express themselves including starting a walk, volunteering and assisting with training and providing resources.

Fentanyl and Overdose Risk

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more powerful than most street drugs. Its potency makes accidental overdose a serious risk. Young people remain especially at risk, and one growing trend officials have found is mixed substances without the user’s knowledge. 

Recognizing an opioid overdose, slowed or stopped breathing, unresponsiveness, and blue-tinged lips or skin, and responding quickly with naloxone can save a life.

Harm Reduction & NA Work Together

Awareness movements like this one are most powerful when paired with practical tools. 

• Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses and is widely available without a prescription.
• Fentanyl test strips let people check for the drug.
• Anyone who wants to stop using opioids can enroll in evidence-based options like medication-assisted treatment alongside counseling and peer support.

These paths are complementary, not competing.

For many people in recovery from opioid or narcotic addiction, Narcotics Anonymous offers ongoing peer support. NA meetings bring together people who understand drug addiction firsthand, and the program is free to attend, with in-person and virtual options. All NA chapters welcome people regardless of which substances they have used. 

NA in Every Community

If you or someone you love faces opioid or fentanyl use, find NA meetings in your area. These meetings can help you locate local opioid treatment programs and access harm-reduction resources like naloxone distribution sites and fentanyl test strips through local health departments and throughout any local community. 

Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to chat with a specialist or look through our directory for NA locations across the country.

For anyone facing opioid addiction in San Francisco, or supporting someone who is, the spring of 2026 brought rare encouraging news. Monthly overdose deaths fell to their lowest level in years. The progress is real, but fentanyl remains a constant threat and understanding both halves of that picture matters when you are deciding what help to seek.

The Golden State has a wide breadth of programs for folks impacted by substance misuse. Enroll in an inpatient facility or connect with your neighbors in Narcotics Anonymous chapters. These combined approaches have driven the fatality numbers down.

Let’s take a look. San Francisco recorded 35 accidental overdose deaths in May 2026 and 34 in April, with 219 deaths through the first five months of the year. That five-month total is the lowest since at least 2021, down from 316 over the same period in 2025 and 348 in 2023.

Frisco’s Opioid Crisis

The longer trend shows how far the city climbed before this decline. The city’s overdose deaths peaked at 810 in 2023, then fell to 635 in 2024 and 621 in 2025, a roughly 23% drop from the peak. The first five months of each recent year tell the same story of improvement: 286 deaths in 2021 and a slow trend downward to 219 thus far in 2026.

The progress is real but fragile. Even with the decline, San Francisco’s overdose rate remains among the highest of any large U.S. county. Fentanyl continues to account for a large share of deaths. Officials have also warned that new synthetic opioids are turning up in counterfeit pills, a reminder that the illicit supply remains unpredictable.

Fentanyl’s Backdrop

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid many times more potent than most other street drugs. Since it’s so strong and often mixed into other narcotics, people can take a fatal dose without knowing fentanyl is present. Signs of an opioid overdose include slow or stopped breathing, blue or gray lips and fingertips, pinpoint pupils, and unresponsiveness.

Lethal doses continue to take their toll. The folks behind these statistics are neighbors, family members and friends. But remember that recovery is possible and the number of survivors are climbing.

Driving the Change

City officials credit expanded treatment capacity and wider access to overdose-reversal medication. San Francisco added hundreds of treatment-focused beds, opened a crisis stabilization center, expanded street outreach teams citywide, and reorganized its response under a “recovery-first” policy. The city also revised harm reduction practices, including limits on distributing certain drug-use supplies in public.

These approaches are debated among public health experts. In fact, some analysts note that other hard-hit counties are improving faster. But the evidence consistently supports connecting people quickly to treatment and keeping naloxone widely available to save lives.

Finding Harm Reduction

Several tools reduce the risk of a fatal overdose and open a path to recovery:

• Naloxone (Narcan) can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes and is available without a prescription and in public venues, even on BART transit.
• Fentanyl test strips let people check drugs for the presence of fentanyl
• Medication for opioid use disorder reduces cravings and overdose risk and is strongly supported by evidence
• Peer recovery support, including Narcotics Anonymous meetings, offers free, ongoing community for people working toward recovery

These options are not in competition. Many people combine medication, counseling, and peer support such as NA.

Starting NA

Narcotics Anonymous remains one of the most effective (and inexpensive) ways to a healthier future. Participating in a NA meeting is free and confidential. You’ll connect with peers in your neighborhood and build a fellowship that lasts a lifetime.

Simply dial 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to explore treatment options with an expert or browse our directory to find NA meetings in any community throughout the USA.

New Hampshire is set to receive nearly $30 million as part of a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharma. State officials say the money will go directly toward opioid addiction treatment, recovery support and prevention programs. For families still grieving losses from the epidemic, the announcement marks one of the largest single infusions of opioid recovery funding the state has seen.

The Granite State already has a wide variety of programs to treat substance misuse. Local Narcotics Anonymous chapters, inpatient medical centers and walk-in clinics offer hope and services for folks from any background. However, funding often remains tight. The $29.5 million from Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family will go a long way towards prevention and recovery efforts for people dealing with substance use. 

The Opioid Crisis in This Corner of New England

Opioids make up a class of drugs that bind to receptors in the brain to block pain and trigger euphoria. Repeated use can lead to physical dependence and narcotic addiction due to changes in brain chemistry and often requires medical support to treat. Overdose occurs when opioids suppress breathing to a dangerous degree, often leading to death.

Among opioids, illicit fentanyl is the main culprit. This synthetic opioid is far more potent than heroin and is frequently mixed into other street drugs without a user’s knowledge. That potency explains why harm reduction remains essential, even as settlement dollars fund longer-term treatment.

Folks in New Hampshire know this first hand. The opioid crisis peaked in 2017 with 416 opioid-related deaths, before resurging again during the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2024, the state recorded 248 opioid overdoses. Behind every number is a person, a family and a long road toward recovery from narcotic addiction.

Driving the Settlement

The settlement comes from 10 years of investigation and litigation joined by attorneys general from every state. The payout totals $7.4 billion in nationwide payouts from pharmaceuticals and distributors. As part of the agreement, the Sackler family, which owned Purdue Pharma, is permanently banned from selling opioids in the United States. The Sacklers are widely regarded as having fueled the opioid crisis across the entire nation.

New Hampshire officials expect to disburse more than half, $16.2 million, over three years. Attorney General John Formella observed that while no amount of money can undo the harm caused to families across the state, the agreement delivers accountability and funds hope for those impacted in the future. He adds that the state remains committed to help save lives and support long-term recovery. Governor Kelly Ayotte echoed that sentiment, thanking attorneys general nationwide for holding Purdue Pharma accountable for what she described as poisoning communities.

About $4.5 million of the settlement will be divided among cities and counties based on population. The remainder flows into the Opioid Abatement Trust Fund for an advisory commission to allocate to organizations and programs.

Harm Reduction and Treatment for Opioid Addiction

Public health experts widely support a harm reduction approach alongside traditional treatment. Among the most popular harm reduction methods is naloxone, used to reverse overdoses. 

• Naloxone is now available over the counter at many pharmacies, and many community organizations distribute it free of charge. 

• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), using buprenorphine or methadone alongside counseling, remains the clinical gold standard for opioid use disorder. 

• Peer support also matters: Narcotics Anonymous meetings give people working through narcotic addictions a structured, judgment-free community of others in recovery.

Settlement funds like New Hampshire’s are increasingly directed toward exactly this mix of services, expanding access to MAT, recovery housing, and counseling programs rather than funding short-term fixes alone.

NA in New Hampshire and Beyond

If you or someone you love needs help with an addiction, don’t delay. Enrolling in a local NA meeting is often the first — and easiest — step you can take. Simply call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) or browse our directory for locations throughout the country.

San Francisco community leaders and recovery advocates gathered in the South of Market neighborhood this week to mark a turning point in the city’s opioid addiction crisis, pointing to fewer visible signs of public drug use after a year-long push to shift away from tolerance and toward treatment and accountability.

The Golden State of California is the country’s most populous state. Residents can find a wide range of programs from modern inpatient care to local Narcotics Anonymous chapters in most neighborhoods. Out in San Francisco, locals had long tolerated substance misuse and instead actively push for greater measures to save lives.

San Francisco’s Shift on Public Drug Use

The advocacy group Drug Free Sidewalks marked its first anniversary with a gathering at Montesacro, an Italian restaurant on Stevenson Street that has weathered 11 years in the SOMA neighborhood. 

Owner Gianluca Legrottaglie said the spread of dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl reshaped the block, driving out neighboring businesses as public drug use became more visible over the years. He relayed how he’s noticed real change over the past year, especially in the alleys near 6th and Jessie streets.

Fentanyl’s Toll on the Tenderloin and Beyond

Opioids include many narcotics that relieve pain and produce euphoria by acting on receptors in the brain, but carry a high risk of dependence even with legitimate medical use

Fentanyl has been central to the opioid crisis driving these policy shifts nationwide, and San Francisco felt the impact. Mayor Daniel Lurie said a recent ride-along with police through Mission and 16th, 6th Street, and the Tenderloin reinforced how much work remains, even with the visible progress. He noted that many people are still openly using and still suffering.

State Assemblymember Matt Haney, who lives in the Tenderloin, said he’s seen markedly fewer people using or selling drugs openly, and fewer discarded needles on the sidewalk. He described the city moving away from a strategy centered on safer-use tools alone and toward one that more actively leads people into recovery. Haney is again pursuing legislation to free up state funding for drug-free housing. 

At the city level, Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who is open about his own recovery, wants to advance legislation to prioritize city funding for permanent supportive housing that prohibits onsite drug use.

The Limits of Housing Alone

Amber Richmond spent years using drugs openly on San Francisco’s streets. She now works helping others navigate the same housing system she once relied on. Raymond said real gaps remain for people trying to direct their own recovery and rebuild stability beyond day-to-day survival. 

Richmond had sober living housing for six years before she began actively working on her own recovery. She stressed that housing, treatment, and peer support all matter — none of them substitutes for the others.

Harm Reduction and Treatment for Opioid Addiction

San Francisco’s policy debate reflects a tension playing out in many cities. Some officials emphasize recovery-focused and enforcement-oriented approaches over harm reduction tools. Other folks with lived experience, like Richmond, argue that compassion, housing, treatment and recovery support all need to work together. 

Naloxone, often known by the brand name Narcan, can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes when given in time. That makes naloxone one of the most important tools in preventing overdose deaths. BART and other public venues offer free naloxone to the public.

Public health researchers broadly agree that naloxone access and medication-assisted treatment can reduce overdose deaths and support long-term recovery from opioid abuse. 

Narcotics Anonymous meetings and other peer-support programs offer a complementary, no-cost path, providing community and accountability for people at any stage of recovery from narcotic addiction.

NA Meetings in the Bay Area and Beyond

Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held throughout the Bay Area and San Francisco. Visit our directory or contact us by dialing 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to find an in-person or virtual meeting anywhere in the country.

The opioid crisis continues to drive overdose deaths nationwide, and one of the largest correctional systems in the country is responding with a major harm-reduction push. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has rolled out one of the nation’s most extensive naloxone distribution programs to reverse overdoses among incarcerated people and those reentering their communities.

As the most populous state in the USA, California features an extensive network of substance abuse programs, starting with local Narcotics Anonymous chapters. But for those incarcerated, extra support is often required. That’s where naloxone distribution comes in.

Naloxone, often known by the brand name Narcan, is a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain. CDCR’s goal is to dramatically expand access at an unprecedented scale to naloxone to decrease overdose deaths in the state’s prisons.

Opioids in the Golden State

The scale of the program reflects just how central naloxone has become to addressing narcotic addiction behind bars and after release. Between 2019 and 2024, CDCR documented more than 7,000 overdose reversals inside prisons, with thousands more expected to add to the tally once 2025 figures are finalized.

The numbers around release planning are even more striking. Since 2020, CDCR has distributed more than 114,000 naloxone kits at the point of release, and over 95% of people leaving custody now receive overdose education along with a kit. In 2025 alone, statewide installation of self-service naloxone dispensers was completed, even through public transportation, and 286,061 kits were distributed.

Staff response to overdoses has also surged. Naloxone administrations by health care staff have increased by roughly 2,000%, while administrations by custody staff jumped by 4,147% since the program began.

Driving the Change

Much of this expansion is happening against the backdrop of a national overdose landscape increasingly shaped by synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Officials often find these drugs mixed together, which has transformed the overdose landscape, both inside correctional facilities and in communities nationwide. Even small amounts of fentanyl can cause a fatal overdose, which is part of why CDCR’s harm reduction strategy treats naloxone access as a baseline safety measure rather than an exception.

CDCR officials describe the expansion effort as part of a systemwide harm-reduction framework. They plan to pair rapid overdose response and broad naloxone access with the program’s medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services.

Deputy Director of Nursing Services Barbara Barney-Knox emphasized the life-saving role naloxone plays in connecting people to longer-term care. She noted nursing staff understand that naloxone access saves lives and preserves the opportunity for life-changing treatment. CDCR leads the way among state correctional systems by making the medication readily available to both staff and incarcerated individuals when it matters most.

Perhaps the most notable policy detail is that while other state prisons also use naloxone, CDCR remains the only state prison system in the country that allows incarcerated individuals to carry naloxone with them, enabling faster peer response when an overdose occurs.

Harm Reduction & Treatment for Opioid Addiction

Naloxone doesn’t treat opioid use disorder itself but can be the difference between life and death during an overdose, buying time for emergency care.

CDCR’s approach reflects a broader trend in addiction medicine: pairing naloxone availability with MAT and peer support. National data show that MAT reduces all-cause mortality among people with opioid use disorder by up to 85% and lowers overdose death risk by 75% after release from incarceration.

CDCR officials note that overdose risk remains especially high for people leaving custody, which is why combining naloxone with treatment infrastructure matters so much for reentry safety. Peer recovery, including Narcotics Anonymous meetings, plays a critical role for people navigating any type of drug dependence during and after reentry.

Help for Opioid Addiction

If you or someone you love has a narcotic addiction or opioid abuse, you can get help either inside and outside the criminal justice system.

• MAT includes methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. When combined with counseling, MAT lowers cravings and relapse rates.

• Naloxone (Narcan) is available without a prescription at most pharmacies in many states, and many community health departments distribute it for free along with fentanyl test strips.

• Narcotics Anonymous meetings offer free and peer-led groups for folks recovering from opioid dependence. 

Signing up for NA is super simple. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak with an expert for details or look through our directory for chapters anywhere in the country.