Congress: Keep Naloxone Funding in Place

The CDC’s new overdose data is in — and for once, it’s good news.

In 2024, drug overdose deaths dropped by 24%, falling from 114,000 in 2023 to 87,000 — the lowest since 2020. That’s something worth celebrating. But it’s not the finish line. Our goal is simple: an America where no one dies from an overdose.

A key reason for this progress? Naloxone (Narcan) — the life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses within minutes. It’s now widely available to the public and has become a crucial tool for first responders, who are often the first on the scene when someone’s life hangs in the balance.

But now, President Trump wants to reverse that progress. His proposed budget cuts $40 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services — including a $56 million grant that helps train and equip first responders with naloxone.

That grant amounts to just 0.0014% of the overall cut — a mere 7/5,000 of a percent. Yet it could save tens of thousands of lives.

Canceling it would be reckless. Public health experts warn that overdose deaths could rebound to 2023 levels — or worse , and indeed would go against Trump’s own campaign goal of addressing the opioid crisis head on. It simply makes no sense, but the result could be deadly.

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about our loved ones — family, friends, and neighbors struggling with substance use. They are not line items. They are human lives.

Urge your Congressperson to tell the Trump Administration: Don’t put dollars over lives. Keep naloxone funding in place. Sign the petition now.

Tell your congressperson to stand up to save Naloxone access.

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Dear Legislator,

I am writing to urge you to oppose any budget proposals that would eliminate or reduce funding for naloxone distribution and training—especially the $56 million grant that equips and trains first responders with this life-saving medication.

In 2024, the United States saw a significant and hopeful decline in overdose deaths, falling by 24% from the previous year. This progress is not just statistical—it represents tens of thousands of lives saved. At the heart of this turnaround is naloxone (Narcan), a proven, accessible medication that reverses opioid overdoses within minutes and has become a cornerstone of our public health response to the opioid crisis.

The Trump Administration’s proposed budget cuts $40 billion from the Department of Health and Human Services—including the $56 million naloxone grant. While this grant accounts for just 0.0014% of the total cuts, its impact is immense. Public health experts warn that eliminating it could reverse the gains we’ve made, with overdose deaths rising back to or beyond 2023 levels.

This proposal is not just fiscally shortsighted—it is morally indefensible. The people saved by naloxone are our loved ones: parents, siblings, children, friends, and neighbors. They are not statistics or line items—they are lives worth saving.

I urge you to take a stand for public health and compassion. Push back against this reckless cut. Insist that the naloxone grant remain fully funded. We cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against overdose deaths, especially when we have effective tools at our disposal.

Please show leadership in keeping America on the path to an overdose-free future.