The progress comes as the Trump administration is proposing to cut funding for many programs believed to have contributed to the improvement.

Drug overdose deaths in the United States made an unprecedented drop to the lowest they’ve been in five years, according to a new federal government estimate released Wednesday.

Prof. Robert Valuck, who runs the Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy, said Trump's get-tough approach on choking off supply may help reduce deaths, as long as it continues to be accompanied by drug-treatment opportunities.