In 2021, annual drug-related overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 for the first time in America, a report from the National Center for Health Statistics revealed. This highlights the damaging impact COVID-19 had on addiction treatment, the rising availability of harmful synthetic drugs like fentanyl, and the decline in mental health across the country. [1]
However, a report released in 2023 shows that overdose deaths have begun to decrease for the first time in several years, indicating improvements in accessibility to and utilization of substance use disorder services and harm reduction techniques for safer drug use. [2]
- Drug overdose deaths declined by 10% between April 2023 and April 2024, from 112,470 to 101,168
- Fentanyl is one of the leading synthetic opioids used to cut drugs and is linked to most opioid-related deaths
- Synthetic opioids accounted for over 74,000 deaths in 2023
Drug overdose deaths
A report released by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2022 revealed that the annual number of drug overdose deaths surpassed 100,000 in America in 2021 for the first time [1]. This figure then continued to rise over the next two years, reaching 112,470 in April 2023, an increase of almost 64% since 2019 with 68,647 overdose deaths. [2]
These increases are likely associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The reduced access to treatment paired with strains on mental health and the rise of potent synthetic drugs such as fentanyl are all key factors in the increasing number of drug overdoses.
Synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and xylazine continue to be widely used and associated with the majority of overdose deaths. [3] However, the recent decrease in overdose deaths suggests that people are more aware of how to manage overdose and access substance use disorder treatments.
This may be due to increases in the number of people carrying and using naloxone, a life-saving opioid reversal medication. Access to naloxone was limited, with many struggling to access the medication due to drug control laws. However, more recently, the dispensing rate of naloxone has increased significantly across the country, helping to reduce fatalities. [4]
Overdose statistics
- Opioids, including heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and prescription opioids such as hydrocodone, are associated with more overdose deaths in the US than any other substance type. [3]
- Opioid overdose deaths decreased from 2022 to 2023, although stimulant overdoses involving drugs such as meth and cocaine increased in this period. [2]
- Overdose death rates varied across the country between 2022 and 2023. Indiana, Maine, Kansas, and Nebraska saw decreases of 15% or more. Oregon, Washington, and Alaska experienced increases of 27% and more. [2]
- In April 2024, the number of overdose deaths was around the same as the figure reported in 2021. As such, although the figure is now decreasing, drug-related overdose is still a major issue in the US. [2]
In September 2024, the Biden-Harris administration, alongside the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), awarded over $1.5 billion in grants to help with drug-related treatment, prevention, harm reduction, and overdose reversal medications. [5]
Facts about the opioid crisis
In 2023, 107,543 people in the United States died from a drug or alcohol-related overdose. Of these deaths, over 75% (81,083) involved opioids. [2]
The abuse of and addiction to opioids such as prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl was declared a state of severe national crisis in 2017, affecting public health, safety, and the social and economic welfare of the country.
The Joint Economic Committee reported that the cost of the opioid epidemic in the US during 2020 alone reached $1.5 trillion. This is a 37% increase from a 2017 report by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These costs include healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement. [6]
Prescription opioid statistics
- In 2023, around 125 million opioid prescriptions were dispensed in the US [7]
- In 2023, around 8.6 million people aged 12 and above misused prescription opioids [7]
- One study found that 80% of people who use heroin had previously been misusing prescribed opioids [8]
- An estimated 4% to 6% of people who misuse prescription opioids go on to use heroin [9]
- The likelihood of developing an opioid use disorder depends on many factors, including how long a person is prescribed an opioid for pain and how long a person uses a prescription opioid (as prescribed or abused). [10]
Overdose deaths containing synthetic opioids
Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are associated with the majority of drug overdoses. This is due to illicit opioids and stimulants being cut by drug manufacturers and dealers with fentanyl, which is up to 100 times more potent than other substances. [2]
Of the 42,065 opioid-involved overdoses in 2022, 91.2% (38,382) involved illegally-made fentanyl. [3]
What to do in the event of an opioid overdose
If you suspect someone you know is having an opioid overdose, the first thing to do is contact the emergency services. There are several more steps to take while you wait for the emergency medical technicians to arrive. Read this guide for dos and don’ts for helping someone overdosing and how naloxone can save lives.
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