(NPR) – Street drug deaths in the U.S. are dropping at the fastest rate ever seen, according to a new report issued on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Preliminary data shows roughly 97,000 fatal overdoses over a 12-month period. That’s down roughly 14.5% from a year earlier. Public health officials say the drop translates into more than 16,000 lives saved and marks the lowest level of drug deaths in nearly four years. (Read More)