by Alex Nuti – de Biasi, Journal-Opinion

“Since their peak less than three years ago, opioid overdose deaths dropped nearly by half as of October, according to a Stateline analysis. The drop comes as a shrinking fentanyl supply has made the drug weaker and less deadly and volunteer efforts get more people into treatment.”

This bears out in the Twin States as well. In 2025, Vermont had fewer drug deaths through November than the three-year average from 2022-2024. New Hampshire also shows a decline in deaths. 

The Stateline article above notes that political infighting in Arizona has kept at least some of the state’s share of opioid national settlement funds from being spent. 

In New Hampshire, some of the state’s share of that $1.2 billion in settlement funds has trickled down to county governments. 

Earlier this month, the Grafton County Commission approved a $68,000 request from Woodsville Ambulance for ventilators on each of its four ambulances, reported the Caledonian-Record. The funds will come from the opioid settlement funds administered by Grafton County.

“To date, Grafton County has received $1.1 million from the state’s opioid abatement trust fund, which was created from a legal settlement for New Hampshire and other states that requires pharmaceutical companies and opioid manufacturers and distributors to pay for their part in fueling the nation’s opioid crisis.”

But the funds are running out. Grafton County has about $250,000 remaining. 

“I can’t tell you when we’re going to get more opioid money,” county administrator Julie Libby told the commission on March 10. “We will get more money. I just don’t know when that’s going to be. We seem to be getting a lot of requests for money right now, and we’re pretty close to running out of money.”