In 2022, around 73,838 people in the United States died from a drug overdose that involved fentanyl. This was the 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.

In 2022, around 81,806 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 2022.

From 1999 to 2022, the number of drug overdose deaths among U.S. females increased from 5,591 in 1999 to 32,127 in 2022. Globally, drug use is a general problem. As of 2021, there were an estimated 296 million global drug consumers and 39.5 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 2022, there were around 22.7 overdose deaths in the United States involving fentanyl per 100,000 population. The death rate involving fentanyl presented an exponential increase since 2014. This statistic presents the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022.

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.

In 2022, the death rate from opioid overdose was 25 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 2022, per 100,000 population.

In 2022, there were around 25 overdose deaths involving fentanyl among non-Hispanic whites in the United States per 100,000 population. This statistic presents the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by race/ethnicity.

In 2022, there were an estimated 73,838 overdose deaths in the U.S. involving fentanyl, around 53,958 of which occurred among males. This statistic presents the number of overdose deaths from fentanyl in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by gender.

In 2022, an estimated 67,974 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 2022, by race/ethnicity.

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.

In 2022, the death rate from opioid poisoning in the United States was around 36.6 per 100,000 population among Black, non-Hispanics. This was a significant increase compared to the death rate reported in 1999. This statistic shows the death rate from drug poisonings involving opioids in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by race/ethnicity.

In 2022, approximately 1.8 people died from a heroin overdose per 100,000 people, a decrease from a rate of 4.1 in 2020. This statistic shows the death rate from heroin overdose in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, in deaths per 100,000 people.

This statistic shows the death rate of top ten U.S. states for fentanyl overdose deaths during calendar year 2016. According to the data, the drug overdose death rate for fentanyl was highest in New Hampshire with 30.3 deaths per 100,000 persons.

In 2022, around 6,606 people aged 15 to 24 years died from a drug overdose. Opioids, primarily prescription pain relievers and heroin, are the main driver of overdose deaths. This statistic presents the number of drug overdose deaths among those aged 15 to 24 years in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022.

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.

In 2022, California had 10,952 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 2022, by state.

In 2022, there were around 33 overdose deaths involving fentanyl among men in the United States per 100,000 population. Since 2014, fentanyl-related death rates have increased exponentially for both genders. However, the rate for men was more than double that for women. This statistic presents the rate of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl in the U.S. from 1999 to 2022, by gender.

It is projected that if the opioid overdose crisis stabilizes by the year 2020 there will be around 700,400 overdose deaths from prescription and illicit opioids from 2016 to 2025. If the crisis does not stabilize until the year 2025 it is predicted that overdose deaths due to illicit opioids will reach a total of over 1 million from 2016 to 2025.

In 2022, overdose deaths involving opioids in the United States totaled over 81 thousand. The majority of opioid deaths involve fentanyl. This statistic shows the number of drug overdose deaths in the U.S. from 2020 to 2022, by involved drug type.

In 2022, the age group between 35 and 44 years accounted for 50 percent of all opioid overdose deaths in the United States. This statistic shows the distribution of deaths from opioid overdose in the U.S. in 2022, by share of age group.