06/12/2026
According to new data from the CDC, New Jersey saw a 27% drop in overdose deaths in 2025, the lowest in five years. That decline outpaced the national average of 20%, and represents a drop of more than 50% compared to the peak of the pandemic in 2021.
That progress belongs to every person who chose recovery, every family that refused to give up, and every organization that kept showing up, even when the work was hard.
But as the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey reminds us, the work can't stop until that number reaches zero. Prevention, education, treatment access, and stigma reduction all have to continue.
At Freedom House, we've been part of this fight since 1986, and we're not done. If you or someone you love is struggling, reach out. Recovery is possible, and we are here to help.
π 908-537-6043
π www.FreedomHouseNJ.org
Source: CDC / Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, January 2026