In 2023, California had 11,378 drug overdose deaths. Opioids are the main driver of overdose deaths. This statistic presents the number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2023, by state.

West Virginia is currently the state with the highest drug overdose death rate in the United States, with 82 deaths per 100,000 population in 2023. 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 2023, around ****** 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 *** 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 has 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.

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.

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

In 2023, around ****** people died from opioid overdoses in the United States. This statistic presents the number of opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. from 1999 to 2023.

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 regul

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.

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.

The interactive charts, created for 33N, displays trends in total, opioid, and prescription opioid overdose death rates for each of the 10 counties in the ARC planning area, the planing areas as a whole, and State of Georgia from 1999 to 2016. In Georgia in 2016, their were 996 overdose deaths caused by opioids, representing 68.8% of all drug overdose deaths in the state and a 61% increase since 2013. Of the overdose deaths statewide in 2016, 595 involved prescription opioids, a more than tenfold increase since 1999. The 10-county Atlanta metro region reports higher prescription opioid overdose rates in most years than the state as a whole, but has followed a similar trend to the state, with the problem of prescription opioid overdose deaths increasing over time. Since 1999 in the 10-county Atlanta metro region, the number of prescription opioid overdose deaths has increased at more than 5 times the rate of deaths overall, at 2.5 times the rate of overdose deaths, and at more than 1.5 times the rate of all opioid overdose deaths.Data Source:Georgia Department of Public Health (GA DPH), OASIS, Mortality/Morbidity Data, 1999-2016

This dataset contains age-adjusted statistical data on deaths caused by opioids overdose by state and the increase of deaths caused by opioids overdose.

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.

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 2011–2017 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.

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. Drug poisoning death rates may be underestimated in those instances.

REFERENCES 1. National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System: Mortality data. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm.

1. CDC. CDC Wonder: Underlying cause of death 1999–2016. Available from: http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/ucd.html.

Mississippi saw a 55 percent increase in drug overdose deaths from 2019 to 2020. Opioids - such as prescription pain relievers, heroin, and illegally manufactured synthetic opioids such as fentanyl - are the main driver of overdose deaths. This statistic shows the percent change in drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020, by state.

To: State, territorial, tribal, and local policymakers and administrators of agencies and programs focused on child, youth, and family health and well-being Dear Colleagues, Thank you for your work to support children, youth, and families. Populations served by Administration for Children and Families (ACF)-funded programs — including victims of trafficking or violence, those who are unhoused, and young people and families involved in the child welfare system — are often at particularly high risk for substance use and overdose. A variety of efforts are underway at the federal, state, and local levels to reduce overdose deaths. These efforts focus on stopping drugs from entering communities, providing life-saving resources, and preventing drug use before it starts. Initiatives across the country are already saving lives: the overdose death rate has declined over the past year but remains too high at 32.6 per 100,000 individuals. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, raises the risk of overdose deaths because even a tiny amount can be deadly. Young people are particularly at risk for fentanyl exposure, driven in part by widespread availability of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that are marketed to youth through social media. While overdose deaths among teens have recently begun to decline, there were 6,696 deaths among adolescents and young adults in 2022 (the latest year with data available)[1], making unintentional drug overdose the second leading cause of death for youth ages 15—19 and the first leading cause of death among young adults ages 20-24.[2] Often these deaths happen with others nearby and can be prevented when opioid overdose reversal medications, like naloxone, are administered in time. CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System dashboard shows that in all 30 jurisdictions with available data, 64.7% of drug overdose deaths had at least one potential opportunity for intervention.[3] Naloxone rapidly reverses an overdose and should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose or when an overdose is suspected. It can be given as a nasal spray. Studies show that naloxone administration reduces death rates and does not cause harm if used on a person who is not overdosing on opioids. States have different policies and regulations regarding naloxone distribution and administration. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia have Good Samaritan laws protecting bystanders who aid at the scene of an overdose.[4] ACF grant recipients and partners can play a critical role in reducing overdose deaths by taking the following actions: Stop Overdose Now (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Integrating Harm Reduction Strategies into Services and Supports for Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness (PDF) (ACF) Thank you for your dedication and partnership. If you have any questions, please contact your local public health department or state behavioral health agency. Together, we can meaningfully reduce overdose deaths in every community. /s/ Meg Sullivan Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary [1] Products - Data Briefs - Number 491 - March 2024 [2] WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Visualization Tool [3] SUDORS Dashboard: Fatal Drug Overdose Data | Overdose Prevention | CDC [4] Based on 2024 report from the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association (PDF). Note that the state of Kansas adopted protections as well following the publication of this report. Metadata-only record linking to the original dataset. Open original dataset below.

Notes

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. 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 2011–2017 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. 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. Drug poisoning death rates may be underestimated in those instances. REFERENCES 1. National Center for Health Statistics. National Vital Statistics System: Mortality data. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm. CDC. CDC Wonder: Underlying cause of death 1999–2016. Available from: http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/ucd.html.

In 2023, those aged between 35 and 44 years had the highest number of drug overdose deaths in the United States, with 27,005 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 2023, by age group.

ObjectiveU.S. drug-related overdose deaths and Emergency Department (ED) visits rose in 2020 and again in 2021. Many academic studies and the news media attributed this rise primarily to increased drug use resulting from the societal disruptions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A competing explanation is that higher overdose deaths and ED visits may have reflected a continuation of pre-pandemic trends in synthetic-opioid deaths, which began to rise in mid-2019. We assess the evidence on whether increases in overdose deaths and ED visits are likely to be related primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic, increased synthetic-opioid use, or some of both.MethodsWe use national data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on rolling 12-month drug-related deaths (2015–2021); CDC data on monthly ED visits (2019-September 2020) for EDs in 42 states; and ED visit data for 181 EDs in 24 states staffed by a national ED physician staffing group (January 2016-June 2022). We study drug overdose deaths per 100,000 persons during the pandemic period, and ED visits for drug overdoses, in both cases compared to predicted levels based on pre-pandemic trends.ResultsMortality. National overdose mortality increased from 21/100,000 in 2019 to 26/100,000 in 2020 and 30/100,000 in 2021. The rise in mortality began in mid-to-late half of 2019, and the 2020 increase is well-predicted by models that extrapolate pre-pandemic trends for rolling 12-month mortality to the pandemic period. Placebo analyses (which assume the pandemic started earlier or later than March 2020) do not provide evidence for a change in trend in or soon after March 2020. State-level analyses of actual mortality, relative to mortality predicted based on pre-pandemic trends, show no consistent pattern. The state-level results support state heterogeneity in overdose mortality trends, and do not support the pandemic being a major driver of overdose mortality.ED visits. ED overdose visits rose during our sample period, reflecting a worsening opioid epidemic, but rose at similar rates during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.ConclusionThe reasons for rising overdose mortality in 2020 and 2021 cannot be definitely determined. We lack a control group and thus cannot assess causation. However, the observed increases can be largely explained by a continuation of pre-pandemic trends toward rising synthetic-opioid deaths, principally fentanyl, that began in mid-to-late 2019. We do not find evidence supporting the pandemic as a major driver of rising mortality. Policymakers need to directly address the synthetic opioid epidemic, and not expect a respite as the pandemic recedes.

In 2023, an estimated ****** white, non-Hispanic persons in the United States died from a drug overdose. 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 2023, by race/ethnicity.

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