According to information from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), 2021 saw a record number of drug-related deaths (106,699) in the country. This is an increase of more than 16% from the previous year (91,799), more than 2 times increase from 2015 (52,404) and more than 6 times from the turn of the century (17,415 in 2000).
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects information on deaths involving drugs commonly associated with fatal overdose.
Over 2/3 of those who died in 2021 were males, with the increase from the 2015 level greater for males (2.3 times) than for females (1.7 times).
U.S. Drug-Involved Overdose Deaths,
Number Among All Ages, by Gender, 1999 – 2021
In 2021, to the greatest extent, the deaths were related to the use of opioids (80,411), and the increase compared to 2015 (33,091) was 2.4 times. Over 70% of those who died were males, with the increase from 2015 being greater for males (2.6 times) than for females (2.1%).
87.8% (or 70,601) of all opioid deaths were overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl).
U.S. Overdose Deaths Involving Any Opioid,
Number Among All Ages, by Gender, 1999 – 2021
Just over 1/5 (or 16,706) of all opioid deaths were overdose deaths involving prescription opioids (methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine). The opioid epidemic in the United States at the turn of the century is thought to have started precisely with the widespread use of prescription opioids. In recent years, overdose deaths involving them have maintained stable levels, increasing by only 9.3% for the period 2015-2021.
There is a downward trend in overdose deaths involving heroin, by more than 40% from 2016 to 2021. In the last year, only 13% (or 9,173) of opioid overdoses were due to heroin use.
After opioids, the largest number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. were related to stimulant use (50.1%, or 53,495). Of this group of drugs, psychostimulants caused the most deaths (32,537). This mainly includes methamphetamine use, with the increase in deaths for the period 2015-2021 being 5.7 times. Again, it applies to a greater extent in males (5.9 times) than in females (5.3 times).
One in four U.S. drug overdose deaths (24,486) in 2021 involved cocaine use.
U.S. Drug-Involved Overdose Deaths,
Number Among All Ages, by Type of Drug, 1999 – 2021
The least number of drug-involved overdose deaths in the U.S. were related to the use of benzodiazepines (12,499) and antidepressants (5,859) – respectively, the increase in deaths for the period 2015 – 2021 was 42% and 20%.
The huge increase in drug-involved overdose deaths in the United States in recent years is of considerable concern and suggests a decisive response to the problem, including an update of the U.S. drug policy.
Overdose_data_1999-2021 1.19.23.xlsx
Source: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates