Data on drug overdose death rates, by drug type and selected population characteristics. Please refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/contents2019.htm) for critical information about measures, definitions, and changes over time. SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, numerator data from annual public-use Mortality Files; denominator data from U.S. Census Bureau national population estimates; and Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Arias E, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: Final data for 2018. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 69 no 13. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.2021. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm. For more information on the National Vital Statistics System, see the corresponding Appendix entry at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-appendix-508.pdf.

In 2023, around 72,776 people in the United States died from a drug overdose that involved fentanyl. This was the second-highest number of fentanyl overdose deaths ever recorded in the United States, and a significant increase from the number of deaths reported in 2019. Fentanyl overdoses are now the driving force behind the opioid epidemic, accounting for the majority of overdose deaths in the United States. What is fentanyl? Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid similar to morphine, but more powerful. It is a prescription drug but is also manufactured illegally and is sometimes mixed with other illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine, often without the user’s knowledge. The potency of fentanyl makes it very addictive and puts users at a high risk for overdose. Illegally manufactured fentanyl has become more prevalent in the United States in recent years, leading to a huge increase in drug overdose deaths. In 2022, the rate of drug overdose death involving fentanyl was 22.7 per 100,000 population, compared to a rate of just one per 100,000 population in the year 2013. Fentanyl overdoses by gender and race/ethnicity As of 2022, the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl in the United States is over two times higher among men than women. Rates of overdose death involving fentanyl were low for both men and women until around the year 2014 when they began to quickly increase, especially for men. In 2022, there were around 19,880 drug overdose deaths among women that involved fentanyl compared to 53,958 such deaths among men. At that time, the rate of fentanyl overdose deaths was highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Natives and lowest among non-Hispanic Asians. However, from the years 2014 to 2018, non-Hispanic whites had the highest fentanyl overdose death rates.

This data presents provisional counts for drug overdose deaths based on a current flow of mortality data in the National Vital Statistics System. Counts for the most recent final annual data are provided for comparison. National provisional counts include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia as of the date specified and may not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period. Provisional counts are often incomplete and causes of death may be pending investigation resulting in an underestimate relative to final counts. To address this, methods were developed to adjust provisional counts for reporting delays by generating a set of predicted provisional counts. Several data quality metrics, including the percent completeness in overall death reporting, percentage of deaths with cause of death pending further investigation, and the percentage of drug overdose deaths with specific drugs or drug classes reported are included to aid in interpretation of provisional data as these measures are related to the accuracy of provisional counts. Reporting of the specific drugs and drug classes involved in drug overdose deaths varies by jurisdiction, and comparisons of death rates involving specific drugs across selected jurisdictions should not be made. Provisional data presented will be updated on a monthly basis as additional records are received. For more information please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm

A. SUMMARY This dataset includes unintentional drug overdose death rates by race/ethnicity by year. This dataset is created using data from the California Electronic Death Registration System (CA-EDRS) via the Vital Records Business Intelligence System (VRBIS). Substance-related deaths are identified by reviewing the cause of death. Deaths caused by opioids, methamphetamine, and cocaine are included. Homicides and suicides are excluded. Ethnic and racial groups with fewer than 10 events are not tallied separately for privacy reasons but are included in the “all races” total. Unintentional drug overdose death rates are calculated by dividing the total number of overdose deaths by race/ethnicity by the total population size for that demographic group and year and then multiplying by 100,000. The total population size is based on estimates from the US Census Bureau County Population Characteristics for San Francisco, 2022 Vintage by age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin. These data differ from the data shared in the Preliminary Unintentional Drug Overdose Death by Year dataset since this dataset uses finalized counts of overdose deaths associated with cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids only. B. HOW THE DATASET IS CREATED This dataset is created by copying data from the Annual Substance Use Trends in San Francisco report from the San Francisco Department of Public Health Center on Substance Use and Health. C. UPDATE PROCESS This dataset will be updated annually, typically at the end of the year. D. HOW TO USE THIS DATASET N/A E. RELATED DATASETS Overdose-Related 911 Responses by Emergency Medical Services Preliminary Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths San Francisco Department of Public Health Substance Use Services F. CHANGE LOG 12/16/2024 - Updated with 2023 data. Asian/Pacific Islander race/ethnicity group was changed to Asian. 12/16/2024 - Past year totals by race/ethnicity were revised after obtaining accurate race/ethnicity for some decedents that were previously marked as “unknown” race/ethnicity.

From 1999 to 2023, the number of drug overdose deaths among U.S. females increased from ***** in 1999 to ****** in 2023. Globally, drug use is a general problem. As of 2021, there were an estimated *** million global drug consumers and **** million drug addicts. Opioid use in the United States Among many demographics, drug overdose deaths continue to rise in the United States. Opioids are the most commonly reported substance in drug-related deaths. The number of drug-related deaths in the U.S. due to opioids has dramatically increased since the early 2000s. In 2017, then-President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the opioid crisis in the United States. Since then, there have been joint efforts among various governmental departments to address the opioid crisis through education and outreach. Substance use treatment Substance abuse treatment is vital in reducing the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States. As of 2020, the state of California had the largest number of substance abuse treatment facilities . However, many states in the U.S. have less than 100 substance abuse treatment facilities.

We collect data and report statistics on opioid, stimulant, and other substance use and their impact on health and well-being.

Annual number of deaths registered related to drug poisoning in England and Wales by sex, region and whether selected substances were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, with or without other drugs or alcohol, and involvement in suicides.

In 2022, those aged between 35 and 44 years had the highest number of drug overdose deaths in the United States, with 27,583 deaths. Opioids are the main driver of overdose deaths in the United States. This statistic presents the number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from 2013 to 2022, by age group.

Deaths as a result of drug overdoses in Portugal amounted to ** in 2019, which is the second highest number of annual deaths reported in the provided time interval. In 2011, drug deaths fell to only **, before reaching ** just four years later. In 2020, drug-induced deaths were counted at **. In 2021, there were ** deaths by overdose, the highest value recorded. Low death rate compared to Europe When compared with the rest of Europe, Portugal has a fairly low incidence of drug deaths. A rate of ** drug deaths per million population (pmp) means that Portugal only had a higher drug death rate than a few countries in the continent, and a significantly lower rate than the ** deaths pmp in Norway, which is the highest in Europe. In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the consumption of drugs. The low amount of drug deaths in Portugal is usually attributed to this policy of decriminalization. Breakdown of drugs consumed The class of drugs that caused the highest share of individuals seeking treatment in Portugal, in 2021, were cannabis, with approximately ** percent of Portuguese drug treatment entrants seeking treatment primarily due to the use of this drug class. With a slightly lower share, opioids caused **** percent of drug treatment entries in Portugal. In 2022, Portugal had approximately ****** individuals in opioid substitution treatment, which was the sixth-highest in Europe.

This data visualization presents county-level provisional counts for drug overdose deaths based on a current flow of mortality data in the National Vital Statistics System. County-level provisional counts include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia, as of the date specified and may not include all deaths that occurred during a given time period. Provisional counts are often incomplete and causes of death may be pending investigation resulting in an underestimate relative to final counts (see Technical Notes).

The provisional data presented on the dashboard below include reported 12 month-ending provisional counts of death due to drug overdose by the decedent’s county of residence and the month in which death occurred.

Percentages of deaths with a cause of death pending further investigation and a note on historical completeness (e.g. if the percent completeness was under 90% after 6 months) are included to aid in interpretation of provisional data as these measures are related to the accuracy of provisional counts (see Technical Notes). Counts between 1-9 are suppressed in accordance with NCHS confidentiality standards. Provisional data presented on this page will be updated on a quarterly basis as additional records are received.

Technical Notes

Nature and Sources of Data

Provisional drug overdose death counts are based on death records received and processed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) as of a specified cutoff date. The cutoff date is generally the first Sunday of each month. National provisional estimates include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. NCHS receives the death records from the state vital registration offices through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program (VSCP).

The timeliness of provisional mortality surveillance data in the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) database varies by cause of death and jurisdiction in which the death occurred. The lag time (i.e., the time between when the death occurred and when the data are available for analysis) is longer for drug overdose deaths compared with other causes of death due to the time often needed to investigate these deaths (1). Thus, provisional estimates of drug overdose deaths are reported 6 months after the date of death.

Provisional death counts presented in this data visualization are for “12 month-ending periods,” defined as the number of deaths occurring in the 12 month period ending in the month indicated. For example, the 12 month-ending period in June 2020 would include deaths occurring from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. The 12 month-ending period counts include all seasons of the year and are insensitive to reporting variations by seasonality. These provisional counts of drug overdose deaths and related data quality metrics are provided for public health surveillance and monitoring of emerging trends. Provisional drug overdose death data are often incomplete, and the degree of completeness varies by jurisdiction and 12 month-ending period. Consequently, the numbers of drug overdose deaths are underestimated based on provisional data relative to final data and are subject to random variation.

Cause of Death Classification and Definition of Drug Deaths

Mortality statistics are compiled in accordance with the World Health Organizations (WHO) regulations specifying that WHO member nations classify and code causes of death with the current revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD). ICD provides the basic guidance used in virtually all countries to code and classify causes of death. It provides not only disease, injury, and poisoning categories but also the rules used to select the single underlying cause of death for tabulation from the several diagnoses that may be reported on a single death certificate, as well as definitions, tabulation lists, the format of the death certificate, and regulations on use of the classification. Causes of death for data presented on this report were coded according to ICD guidelines described in annual issues of Part 2a of the NCHS Instruction Manual (2). Drug overdose deaths are identified using underlying cause-of-death codes from the Tenth Revision of ICD (ICD–10): X40–X44 (unintentional), X60–X64 (suicide), X85 (homicide), and Y10–Y14 (undetermined).

Selection of Specific Jurisdictions to Report

Provisional counts are presented by the jurisdiction where the decedent resides (e.g. county of residence). Data quality and timeliness for drug overdose deaths vary by reporting jurisdiction. Provisional counts are presented, along with measures of data quality: the percentage of records where the manner of death is listed as “pending investigation”, and a note for specific jurisdictions with historically lower levels of data completeness (where provisional 2019 data were less than 90% complete after 6 months).

Percentage of Records Pending Investigation

Drug overdose deaths often require lengthy investigations, and death certificates may be initially filed with a manner of death “pending investigation” and/or with a preliminary or unknown cause of death. When the percentage of records reported as “pending investigation” is high for a given jurisdiction, the number of drug overdose deaths is likely to be underestimated. Counts of drug overdose deaths may be underestimated to a greater extent in jurisdictions or counties where more records in NVSS are reported as “pending investigation” for the six most recent 12 month-ending periods.

Historical Completeness

The historical percent completeness of provisional data is obtained by dividing the number of death records in the NVSS database for each jurisdiction and county after a 6-month lag for deaths occurring in 2019 by the number of deaths eventually included in the final data files. Counties with historically lower levels of provisional data completeness are flagged with a note to indicate that the data may be incomplete in these areas. However, the completeness of provisional data may change over time, and therefore the degree of underestimation will not be known until data are finalized (typically 11-12 months after the end of the data year).

Differences between Final and Provisional Data

There may be differences between provisional and final data for a given data year (e.g., 2020). Final drug overdose death data published annually through NCHS statistical reports (3) and CDC WONDER undergo additional data quality checks and processing. Provisional counts reported here are subject to change as additional data are received.

Source

NCHS, National Vital Statistics System. Estimates for 2020 and 2021 are based on provisional data. Estimates for 2019 are based on final data (available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_public_use_data.htm).

References

1. Spencer MR, Ahmad F. Timeliness of death certificate data for mortality surveillance and provisional estimates. National Center for Health Statistics. 2016. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/report001.pdf
2. National Vital Statistics System. Instructions for classifying the underlying cause of death. In: NCHS instruction manual; Part 2a. Published annually.
3. Hedegaard H, Miniño AM, Warner M. Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 1999–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 356. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db356.htm

Suggested Citation

Ahmad FB, Anderson RN, Cisewski JA, Rossen LM, Warner M, Sutton P. County-level provisional drug overdose death counts. National Center for Health Statistics. 2021.

Designed by MirLogic Solutions Corp: National Center for Health Statistics.

Title: Drug Overdose Deaths, Ages 15 to 34, Small Areas by Year, 1999 to 2011 - OD1534SAYR

Summary: Number of deaths and rates of deaths per 100,000 for persons age 15 to 34 due to Drug Overdose over the 13 years period; with person year and mean annual populations, for each year, for the total populations in each of 109 NM Small Area geographies. Includes trends in the death rates comparing 1999-2003 to 2007-2011 based on 68.2% confidence intervals (+/- 1 standard deviation).

Prepared by: T Scharmen, thomas.scharmen@state,nm.us

Includes ICD-10: X40-X44.9, X60-X64.9, X85-X85.9, Y10-Y14.9

Intentional and UN-intentional drug overdose deaths

ICD-10 list: http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2010/en#/X40

Data Sources: New Mexico Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, New Mexico Department of Health; Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program, http://bber.unm.edu/bber_research_demPop.html. Retrieved Wed, 22 August 2014 from New Mexico Department of Health, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health Web site: http://ibis.health.state.nm.us

See Also NM Substance Abuse Epidemiology Report

https://ibis.health.state.nm.us/phom/Introduction.html

Shapefile:

Feature: http://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=ac726182c7574e64a3f5c68ecd814b58

Master File:

NM Data Variable Definition

999 SANo NM Small Area Number

NEW MEXICO SAName NM Small Area Name

67 D1999 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999

72 D2000 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2000

58 D2001 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2001

72 D2002 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2002

95 D2003 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2003

364 D9903 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2003

73 D2004 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2004

85 D2005 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2005

110 D2006 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2006

121 D2007 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007

160 D2008 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2008

134 D2009 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2009

155 D2010 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2010

152 D2011 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2011

722 D0711 Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007-2011

1484 D13YR Number of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2011

500503 P1999 Population, Person-Years, 1999

503133 P2000 Population, Person-Years, 2000

508743 P2001 Population, Person-Years, 2001

514385 P2002 Population, Person-Years, 2002

520015 P2003 Population, Person-Years, 2003

2546779 P9903 Population, Person-Years, 1999-2003

509355.8 MAP9903 Mean Annual Population, Person-Years, 1999-2003

525660 P2004 Population, Person-Years, 2004

531294 P2005 Population, Person-Years, 2005

536930 P2006 Population, Person-Years, 2006

542573 P2007 Population, Person-Years, 2007

548210 P2008 Population, Person-Years, 2008

553846 P2009 Population, Person-Years, 2009

560941 P2010 Population, Person-Years, 2010

560779 P2011 Population, Person-Years, 2011

2766347 P0711 Population, Person-Years, 2007-2011

553269.4 MAP0711 Mean Annual Population, Person-Years, 2007-2011

6907010 P13YR Population, Person-Years, 1999-2011

531308.4615 MAP13YR Mean Annual Population, Person-Years, 1999-2011

13.4 R1999 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999

14.3 R2000 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2000

11.4 R2001 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2001

14 R2002 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2002

18.3 R2003 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2003

14.3 R9903 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2003

12.8 CIL9903 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2003, 95% Confidence Interval Lower Limit

15.8 CIU9903 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2003, 95% Confidence Interval Upper Limit

13.9 R2004 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2004

16 R2005 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2005

20.5 R2006 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2006

22.3 R2007 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007

29.2 R2008 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2008

24.2 R2009 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2009

27.6 R2010 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2010

27.1 R2011 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2011

26.1 R0711 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007-2011

24.2 CIL0711 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007-2011, 95% Confidence Interval Lower Limit

28 CIU0711 Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 2007-2011, 95% Confidence Interval Upper Limit

21.5 R13YR Rate per 100,000 of Drug Overdose Deaths, 1999-2011

11.8 TrendDiff Difference in Drug Overdose Death Rate, 2007-2011 minus 1999-2003

INCREASE TrendSig Trend in Drug Overdose Death Rate Significance, 1999-2003 to.2007-2011

This dataset describes drug poisoning deaths at the county level by selected demographic characteristics and includes age-adjusted death rates for drug poisoning from 1999 to 2015. Deaths are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10). Drug-poisoning deaths are defined as having ICD–10 underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44 (unintentional), X60–X64 (suicide), X85 (homicide), or Y10–Y14 (undetermined intent). Estimates are based on the National Vital Statistics System multiple cause-of-death mortality files (1). Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000 U.S. standard population for 2000) are calculated using the direct method. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2015 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 U.S. census. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years before 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published. Estimate does not meet standards of reliability or precision. Death rates are flagged as “Unreliable” in the chart when the rate is calculated with a numerator of 20 or less. Death rates for some states and years may be low due to a high number of unresolved pending cases or misclassification of ICD–10 codes for unintentional poisoning as R99, “Other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality” (2). For example, this issue is known to affect New Jersey in 2009 and West Virginia in 2005 and 2009 but also may affect other years and other states. Estimates should be interpreted with caution. Smoothed county age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000 population) were obtained according to methods described elsewhere (3–5). Briefly, two-stage hierarchical models were used to generate empirical Bayes estimates of county age-adjusted death rates due to drug poisoning for each year during 1999–2015. These annual county-level estimates “borrow strength” across counties to generate stable estimates of death rates where data are sparse due to small population size (3,5). Estimates are unavailable for Broomfield County, Colo., and Denali County, Alaska, before 2003 (6,7). Additionally, Bedford City, Virginia was added to Bedford County in 2015 and no longer appears in the mortality file in 2015. County boundaries are consistent with the vintage 2005-2007 bridged-race population file geographies (6).

The graph illustrates the number of deaths from fentanyl in the United States from 1999 to 2022. The x-axis represents the years, spanning from '99 to '22, while the y-axis displays the annual number of fentanyl-related fatalities. Over this 24-year period, deaths rise dramatically from 730 in 1999 to a peak of 73,838 in 2022. Notable milestones include an increase to 1,742 deaths in 2005, a significant jump to 9,580 in 2015, and a sharp escalation to 70,601 deaths by 2021. The data reveals a consistent and severe upward trend in fentanyl-related deaths, particularly accelerating in the mid-2010s. This information is presented in a line graph format, effectively highlighting the dramatic increase in fatalities due to fentanyl across the United States over the specified years.

In 2021, there were 298 drug overdose deaths were recorded in the Netherlands. The number of casualties was lowest in 2010, while 2021 represented the highest annual figure. In the last two years, a new record in drug deaths was reached.

 Opiates, cocaine and other dangerous drugs 

Many drug deaths in the Netherlands in 2021 were caused by opiates. Of the total 298 casualties in 2021, 150 died because of opiate use. By comparison, there were 72 cocaine deaths that year. This is also the highest number of cocaine-related deaths in the country in the past decade.

Cocaine use on the rise

 According to the Trimbos survey on drug use, cocaine use has increased in the Netherlands. Whereas in 1997, 2.6 percent of the respondents stated to have used cocaine at least once in their lives, by 2021 this had grown to 6.5 percent. Of the survey participants, 0.8 percent reported to have used cocaine in the past month, a slight change in comparison to earlier years as well.

Prior dataset name - Estimated Accidental and Undetermined Drug Overdose Deaths CY 2012-Current County Health
View annual counts of Any Drug overdose deaths for 2012 forward, including provisional estimates of annual counts of overdose deaths for recent years, as noted with an asterisk and the month the data was pulled. NOTE: Finalized death records for overdose deaths are often delayed by 3-6 months. Counties labeled “no value” have data suppressed because the counts are between 1 and 9. Counts do not include suicides or homicides where someone intended to harm another person by poisoning.
Overdose Deaths are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10). Drug-poisoning deaths are identified using underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44, and Y10–Y14, and include the following:
- R99 when the Injury Description indicates an overdose death.
- X49 when literal COD is Mixed or Combined or Multiple Substance Toxicity, as these are likely drug overdoses
- X47 when substance indicated is difluoroethane, alone or in combination with other drugs
- X85 when it does not appear that someone intended to harm another person by poisoning
Source Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention*
* These data were supplied by the Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Bureau of Health Statistics and Registries specifically disclaims responsibility for any analyses, interpretations or conclusions.
Any Drug Overdose Death - all drug overdose deaths, regardless of type of drug involved, excluding alcohol only deaths

In 2022, Ireland had the highest incidence of drug-induced deaths in Europe at ** per million population. This was followed by Estonia at ** deaths per million population, and ** deaths per million in Norway. On the other hand, in Romania, there were only * drug-induced deaths per million population in 2022. Number of drug-induced deaths There were nearly *** thousand drug-related deaths reported in the EU in 2022. There was a steady increase in the number of deaths in the EU from only *** thousand cases in 2013. When combined with Turkey and Norway, the number of drug-induced deaths in 2022 nearly reached ***** thousand. This was the highest number of drug-related deaths recorded in the given period. Drug deaths by gender and age In 2022, 77 percent of drug-induced deaths reported in the EU were attributed to men. Half of the deaths that occurred among men were among those aged between 25 and 44 years. Similarly, the largest share of female deaths due to drug use was also reported in the same age group.

In 2023, the death rate from opioid overdose was ** per 100,000 population. Opioids are the main driver of overdose deaths in the United States. This statistic presents the death rate from opioid overdose in the U.S. from 1999 to 2023, per 100,000 population.

Source: Office of State Medical Examiners (OSME), Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Note: Data are limited to opioid-involved accidental drug overdose deaths. Counts may not add to annual totals due to missing case information. Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding. Percentages are displayed as decimals. Prescription medications include prescription opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and benzodiazepines. Illicit drugs include substances such as heroin, illicit fentanyl, and cocaine.

West Virginia is currently the state with the highest drug overdose death rate in the United States, with 91 deaths per 100,000 population in 2022. Although West Virginia had the highest drug overdose death rate at that time, California was the state where the most people died from drug overdose. In 2022, around 10,952 people in California died from a drug overdose. The main perpetrator Opioids account for the majority of all drug overdose deaths in the United States. Opioids include illegal drugs such as heroin, legal prescription drugs like oxycodone, and illicitly manufactured synthetic drugs like fentanyl. The abuse of opioids has increased in recent years, leading to an increased number of drug overdose deaths. The death rate from heroin overdose hit an all-time high of 4.9 per 100,000 population in 2016 and 2017, but has decreased in recent years. Now, illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids such as fentanyl account for the majority of opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Opioid epidemic The sharp rise in overdose deaths from opioids have led many to declare the United States is currently experiencing an opioid epidemic or opioid crisis. The causes of this epidemic are complicated but involve a combination of a rise in dispensed prescriptions, irresponsible marketing from pharmaceutical companies, a lack of physician-patient communication, increased social acceptance of prescription drugs, and an increased supply of cheap and potent heroin on the streets.

This dataset describes drug poisoning deaths at the U.S. and state level by selected demographic characteristics, and includes age-adjusted death rates for drug poisoning from 1999 to 2015.

Deaths are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10). Drug-poisoning deaths are defined as having ICD–10 underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44 (unintentional), X60–X64 (suicide), X85 (homicide), or Y10–Y14 (undetermined intent).

Estimates are based on the National Vital Statistics System multiple cause-of-death mortality files (1). Age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000 U.S. standard population for 2000) are calculated using the direct method. Populations used for computing death rates for 2011–2015 are postcensal estimates based on the 2010 U.S. census. Rates for census years are based on populations enumerated in the corresponding censuses. Rates for noncensus years before 2010 are revised using updated intercensal population estimates and may differ from rates previously published.

Estimate does not meet standards of reliability or precision. Death rates are flagged as “Unreliable” in the chart when the rate is calculated with a numerator of 20 or less.

Death rates for some states and years may be low due to a high number of unresolved pending cases or misclassification of ICD–10 codes for unintentional poisoning as R99, “Other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality” (2). For example, this issue is known to affect New Jersey in 2009 and West Virginia in 2005 and 2009 but also may affect other years and other states. Estimates should be interpreted with caution.

Smoothed county age-adjusted death rates (deaths per 100,000 population) were obtained according to methods described elsewhere (3–5). Briefly, two-stage hierarchical models were used to generate empirical Bayes estimates of county age-adjusted death rates due to drug poisoning for each year during 1999–2015. These annual county-level estimates “borrow strength” across counties to generate stable estimates of death rates where data are sparse due to small population size (3,5). Estimates are unavailable for Broomfield County, Colo., and Denali County, Alaska, before 2003 (6,7). Additionally, Bedford City, Virginia was added to Bedford County in 2015 and no longer appears in the mortality file in 2015. County boundaries are consistent with the vintage 2005-2007 bridged-race population file geographies (6).