Health · Public Health & Disease · 6 hrs ago
Stimulant overdose deaths rise as fentanyl deaths decline
Stimulant overdoses are rising in parts of the US as deaths involving fentanyl decline.
In provisional 2025 data, fentanyl-involved deaths reached pre-pandemic levels nationally, while cocaine deaths rose in 13 states and methamphetamine deaths rose in eight.
Stimulant overdoses can be harder to identify because their effects vary, unlike the slowed or stopped breathing often seen in opioid overdoses.
Chest pain, shortness of breath, seizures and stroke signs need urgent medical attention, and calling 911 is advised for any overdose.
Naloxone can help if opioids may also be involved, but there is no equivalent bystander tool for stimulant-related heart attacks, strokes or seizures.
While waiting for an ambulance, experts advise reducing noise, bright lights and crowds, and helping a conscious person stay hydrated, especially in hot conditions.
Overdose deaths involving cocaine rose in 13 states and deaths involving methamphetamine rose in eight, even as fentanyl-involved deaths fell nationally.
Fentanyl-involved overdose deaths reached pre-pandemic levels in 2025 for the first time, according to provisional CDC data.
Experts say stimulant overdoses can be harder to recognize and respond to than opioid overdoses.
Stimulant overdoses can cause heart attacks, strokes, seizures and overheating, and experts advise calling 911.
- Who
- People experiencing stimulant overdoses, including those using methamphetamine or cocaine.
- What
- Stimulant-involved overdose deaths are rising in some states as fentanyl-involved deaths decline nationally.
- When
- In 2025, fentanyl-involved deaths fell to pre-pandemic levels nationally; the article was published on 2026-11-08.
- Where
- The United States. Deaths involving cocaine rose in 13 states and deaths involving methamphetamine rose in eight.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Fentanyl-involved overdose deaths fell to pre-pandemic levels nationally for the first time, according to provisional CDC data.
The Guardian published an article about rising stimulant overdoses and the complexity of responding to them.
- Fentanyl-involved deaths
- Fell to pre-pandemic levels nationally in 2025
- Cocaine-involved deaths
- Rose in 13 states
- Methamphetamine-involved deaths
- Rose in eight states
- Non-fatal stimulant overdoses
- Reached record highs in some states, including Arizona
- Recommended response
- Call 911 for an overdose
What people are saying
stimulants “filled the gap” left by declining fentanyl overdoses.
You can develop hyperthermia, where your body gets too hot, and that can end up resulting in significant brain damage or death
As a bystander, it is a lot more challenging to decide whether something is a stimulant overdose when you compare to how clear-cut a true opioid overdose is