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The American Medical Association (AMA) released its 2025 report on the nation’s overdose epidemic.
The main point: While opioid overdose deaths declined last year, the crisis remains widespread and complex, driven by mixing opioids and other substances and an unpredictable illicit drug supply.
The details: AMA’s policy priorities include enforcing parity laws, removing barriers to treatment for pain and substance use disorder (SUD), and strengthening overdose prevention efforts targeting youth and vulnerable populations.
- Opioid prescribing: Opioid prescriptions have decreased 52% 2012-2024, but many patients still face barriers to non-opioid pain treatments because of restrictive insurance coverage. AMA advocates for individualized, patient-centered care that preserves physician discretion and increased access to multimodal, multispecialty therapies.
- Naloxone: The report emphasizes the lifesaving role of naloxone. Nearly 2 million naloxone prescriptions were dispensed in 2024, accompanied by expanded distribution from community-based organizations. AMA supports over-the-counter access and broader distribution from emergency departments and community settings.
- Treatment: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) remain underused due to stigma, regulatory barriers, and insurance restrictions. Buprenorphine prescriptions increased 83% over the past decade, but utilization has plateaued in recent years. AMA calls for eliminating prior authorization and expanded methadone access beyond opioid treatment program (OTP) settings.
- Polysubstance use: Polysubstance use increasingly involves stimulants, xylazine, kratom, tianeptine, and inhalants. Cannabis use disorder prevalence is also growing, with associated mental health and pregnancy-related risks. AMA calls for additional research and targeted policies to mitigate harm, such as strong marketing and advertising regulations to protect young people.
Published
January 2026