Logo: United States drug overdose death rates and totals over time

United States drug overdose death rates and totals over time

Source From Wikipedia English.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has data on drug overdose death rates and totals. Around 1,106,900 US residents died from drug overdoses from 1968 to 2020, around 932,400 from 1999 through 2020 and around 91,800 in 2020. Of every 100,000 people in 2020 in the US, drugs killed 28. Opioids were involved in around 80,400 of the around 106,700 deaths in 2021. Synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) were involved with 70,601 deaths in 2021. Around 111,000 people died in 2022.

Fentanyl. 2 mg (white powder to the right) is a lethal dose in most people. US penny is 19 mm (0.75 in) wide.

Around 107,500 people died in the 12-month period ending December 31, 2023, at a rate of 295 deaths per day. That is 32.1 deaths per 100,000 US residents, using the population at the midpoint of that period.

1968–2022

 
U.S. yearly overdose deaths from all drugs.

The numbers at the source for the table below are continually updated. So the numbers in the table below may be slightly different. 2021 was a turning point in US history with over 100,000 deaths.

  • Rates below are per 100,000.
1968–2020 US drug overdose deaths. 1,106,859 total.
Year Deaths Population
(July 1 residents) 		Crude rate Age adjusted rate
1968 5,033 199,533,564 2.5 2.8
1969 6,006 201,568,206 3.0 3.3
1970 7,101 203,458,035 3.5 3.8
1971 6,771 206,782,970 3.3 3.5
1972 6,622 209,237,411 3.2 3.4
1973 6,413 211,361,965 3.0 3.2
1974 6,449 213,436,958 3.0 3.2
1975 7,145 215,457,198 3.3 3.4
1976 6,765 217,615,788 3.1 3.2
1977 6,130 219,808,632 2.8 2.9
1978 5,506 222,102,279 2.5 2.6
1979 2,544 224,635,398 1.1 1.1
1980 2,492 226,624,371 1.1 1.1
1981 2,668 229,487,512 1.2 1.2
1982 2,862 231,701,425 1.2 1.2
1983 2,866 233,781,743 1.2 1.2
1984 3,266 235,922,142 1.4 1.3
1985 3,612 238,005,715 1.5 1.5
1986 4,187 240,189,882 1.7 1.7
1987 3,907 242,395,034 1.6 1.6
1988 4,865 244,651,961 2.0 2.0
1989 5,035 247,001,762 2.0 2.0
1990 4,506 248,922,111 1.8 1.8
1991 5,215 253,088,068 2.1 2.0
1992 5,951 256,606,463 2.3 2.3
1993 7,382 260,024,637 2.8 2.8
1994 7,828 263,241,475 3.0 3.0
1995 8,000 266,386,596 3.0 3.0
1996 8,431 269,540,779 3.1 3.1
1997 9,099 272,776,678 3.3 3.3
1998 9,838 276,032,848 3.6 3.6
1999 16,849 279,040,168 6.0 6.1
2000 17,415 281,421,906 6.2 6.2
2001 19,394 284,968,955 6.8 6.8
2002 23,518 287,625,193 8.2 8.2
2003 25,785 290,107,933 8.9 8.9
2004 27,424 292,805,298 9.4 9.4
2005 29,813 295,516,599 10.1 10.1
2006 34,425 298,379,912 11.5 11.5
2007 36,010 301,231,207 12.0 11.9
2008 36,450 304,093,966 12.0 11.9
2009 37,004 306,771,529 12.1 11.9
2010 38,329 308,745,538 12.4 12.3
2011 41,340 311,591,917 13.3 13.2
2012 41,502 313,914,040 13.2 13.1
2013 43,982 316,128,839 13.9 13.8
2014 47,055 318,857,056 14.8 14.7
2015 52,404 321,418,820 16.3 16.3
2016 63,632 323,127,513 19.7 19.8
2017 70,237 325,719,178 21.6 21.7
2018 67,367 327,167,434 20.6 20.7
2019 70,630 328,239,523 21.5 21.6
2020 91,799 329,484,123 27.9 28.3
Total 1,106,859

Rate map and timeline by state

 
Drug overdose deaths in the US per 100,000 people by state.

Asterisks (*) indicate Health in STATE or Healthcare in STATE links in table below.

Drug overdose death rates per 100,000 population by state.
State 1999 2005 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
  Alabama * 3.9 6.3 15.2 15.7 16.2 18 16.6 16.3 22.3 30.1
  Alaska * 7.5 11.4 16.8 16 16.8 20.2 14.6 17.8 22 35.6
  Arizona 10.6 14.1 12.6 19 20.3 22.2 23.8 26.8 35.8 38.7
  Arkansas * 4.4 10.1 18.2 13.8 14 15.5 15.7 13.5 19.1 22.3
  California * 8.1 9 11.1 11.3 11.2 11.7 12.8 15 21.8 26.6
  Colorado * 8 12.7 16.3 15.4 16.6 17.6 16.8 18 24.9 31.4
  Connecticut 9 8.5 17.6 22.1 27.4 30.9 30.7 34.7 39.1 42.3
  Delaware 6.4 7.5 20.9 22 30.8 37 43.8 48 47.3 54
  Florida * 6.4 13.5 13.2 16.2 23.7 25.1 22.8 25.5 35 37.5
  Georgia * 3.5 8.2 11.9 12.7 13.3 14.7 13.2 13.1 18 23.5
  Hawaii * 6.5 9.4 10.9 11.3 12.8 13.8 14.3 15.9 18.3 17.3
  Idaho * 5.3 8.1 13.7 14.2 15.2 14.4 14.6 15.1 15.9 19
  Illinois 6.7 8.4 13.1 14.1 18.9 21.6 21.3 21.9 28.1 29
  Indiana 3.2 9.8 18.2 19.5 24 29.4 25.6 26.6 36.7 43
  Iowa 1.9 4.8 8.8 10.3 10.6 11.5 9.6 11.5 14.3 15.3
  Kansas 3.4 9.1 11.7 11.8 11.1 11.8 12.4 14.3 17.4 24.3
  Kentucky 4.9 15.3 24.7 29.9 33.5 37.2 30.9 32.5 49.2 55.6
  Louisiana 4.3 14.7 16.9 19 21.8 24.5 25.4 28.3 42.7 55.9
  Maine 5.3 12.4 16.8 21.2 28.7 34.4 27.9 29.9 39.7 47.1
  Maryland * 11.4 11.4 17.4 20.9 33.2 36.3 37.2 38.2 44.6 42.8
  Massachusetts * 7.5 12 19 25.7 33 31.8 32.8 32.1 33.9 36.8
  Michigan 4.6 9.8 18 20.4 24.4 27.8 26.6 24.4 28.6 31.5
  Minnesota * 2.8 5.4 9.6 10.6 12.5 13.3 11.5 14.2 19 24.5
  Mississippi * 3.2 8.8 11.6 12.3 12.1 12.2 10.8 13.6 21.1 28.4
  Missouri 5 10.7 18.2 17.9 23.6 23.4 27.5 26.9 32.1 36.5
  Montana * 4.6 10.1 12.4 13.8 11.7 11.7 12.2 14.1 15.6 19.5
  Nebraska 2.3 5 7.2 6.9 6.4 8.1 7.4 8.7 11.3 11.4
  Nevada 11.5 18.7 18.4 20.4 21.7 21.6 21.2 20.1 26 29.2
  New Hampshire 4.3 10.7 26.2 34.3 39 37 35.8 32 30.3 32.3
  New Jersey 6.5 9.4 14 16.3 23.2 30 33.1 31.7 32.1 32.4
  New Mexico 15 20.1 27.3 25.3 25.2 24.8 26.7 30.2 39 51.6
  New York * 5 4.8 11.3 13.6 18 19.4 18.4 18.2 25.4 28.7
  North Carolina * 4.6 11.4 13.8 15.8 19.7 24.1 22.4 22.3 30.9 39.2
  North Dakota * 0 0 6.3 8.6 10.6 9.2 10.2 11.4 15.6 17.2
  Ohio * 4.2 10.9 24.6 29.9 39.1 46.3 35.9 38.3 47.2 48.1
  Oklahoma * 5.4 13.8 20.3 19 21.5 20.1 18.4 16.7 19.4 24.4
  Oregon * 6.1 10.4 12.8 12 11.9 12.4 12.6 14 18.7 26.8
  Pennsylvania 8.1 13.2 21.9 26.3 37.9 44.3 36.1 35.6 42.4 43.2
  Rhode Island 5.5 14.3 23.4 28.2 30.8 31 30.1 29.5 38.2 41.7
  South Carolina * 3.7 9.9 14.4 15.7 18.1 20.5 22.6 22.7 34.9 42.8
  South Dakota 0 5.5 7.8 8.4 8.4 8.5 6.9 10.5 10.3 12.6
  Tennessee 6.1 14.5 19.5 22.2 24.5 26.6 27.5 31.2 45.6 56.6
  Texas * 5.4 8.5 9.7 9.4 10.1 10.5 10.4 10.8 14.1 16.8
  Utah * 10.6 19.3 22.4 23.4 22.4 22.3 21.2 18.9 20.5 21.1
  Vermont * 4.7 8.5 13.9 16.7 22.2 23.2 26.6 23.8 32.9 42.3
  Virginia * 5 7.5 11.7 12.4 16.7 17.9 17.1 18.3 26.6 30.5
  Washington * 9.3 13 13.3 14.7 14.5 15.2 14.8 15.8 22 28.1
  West Virginia * 4.1 10.5 35.5 41.5 52 57.8 51.5 52.8 81.4 90.9
  Wisconsin 4 9.3 15.1 15.5 19.3 21.2 19.2 21.1 27.7 31.6
  Wyoming 4.1 4.9 19.4 16.4 17.6 12.2 11.1 14.1 17.4 18.9

By state over time

Overall US totals by year, followed by breakdown by state by year.

States 1999 2005 2014 2015 2016
Deaths 16,801 29,736 46,959 52,279 63,363
States 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Deaths 69,927 67,113 70,319 91,375 106,249

State links below are "Category:Health in STATE" links. See overall category.

Drug overdose deaths by state over time
State 1999 2005 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
  Alabama 169 283 723 736 756 835 775 768 1,029 1,408
  Alaska 46 79 124 122 128 147 110 132 160 260
  Arizona 511 794 356 1,274 1,382 1,532 1,670 1,907 2,550 2,730
  Arkansas 113 269 1,211 392 401 446 444 388 546 637
  California 2,662 3,214 4,521 4,659 4,654 4,868 5,348 6,198 8,908 10,901
  Colorado 349 608 899 869 942 1,015 995 1,079 1,492 1,887
  Connecticut 310 295 623 800 971 1,072 1,069 1,214 1,371 1,552
  Delaware 50 62 189 198 282 338 401 435 444 513
  Florida 997 2,371 2,634 3,228 4,728 5,088 4,698 5,268 7,231 7,827
  Georgia 283 738 1,206 1,302 1,394 1,537 1,404 1,408 1,916 2,500
  Hawaii 80 126 157 169 191 203 213 242 274 269
  Idaho 64 109 212 218 243 236 250 265 287 354
  Illinois 825 1,067 1,705 1,835 2,411 2,778 2,722 2,790 3,549 3,762
  Indiana 191 610 1,172 1,245 1,526 1,852 1,629 1,699 2,321 2,811
  Iowa 53 141 264 309 314 341 287 352 432 475
  Kansas 89 241 332 329 313 333 345 403 490 680
  Kentucky 197 638 1,077 1,273 1,419 1,566 1,315 1,380 2,083 2,381
  Louisiana 188 661 777 861 996 1,108 1,140 1,267 1,896 2,463
  Maine 67 163 216 269 353 424 345 371 496 611
  Maryland 629 656 1,070 1,285 2,044 2,247 2,324 2,369 2,771 2,737
  Massachusetts 488 780 1,289 1,724 2,227 2,168 2,241 2,210 2,302 2,585
  Michigan 460 985 1,762 1,980 2,347 2,694 2,591 2,385 2,759 3,089
  Minnesota 136 282 517 581 672 733 636 792 1,050 1,356
  Mississippi 87 248 336 351 352 354 310 394 586 787
  Missouri 276 608 1,067 1,066 1,371 1,367 1,610 1,583 1,875 2,155
  Montana 41 96 125 138 119 119 125 143 162 199
  Nebraska 39 86 125 126 120 152 138 161 214 214
  Nevada 227 457 545 619 665 676 688 647 832 949
  New Hampshire 54 142 334 422 481 467 452 407 393 441
  New Jersey 557 823 1,253 1,454 2,056 2,685 2,900 2,805 2,840 3,056
  New Mexico 266 373 547 501 500 493 537 599 784 1,052
  New York 959 944 2,300 2,754 3,638 3,921 3,697 3,617 4,965 5,842
  North Carolina 366 1,000 1,358 1,567 1,956 2,414 2,259 2,266 3,146 3,981
  North Dakota 12 12 43 61 77 68 70 82 114 124
  Ohio 467 1,243 2,744 3,310 4,329 5,111 3,980 4,251 5,204 5,397
  Oklahoma 178 478 777 725 813 775 716 645 762 960
  Oregon 210 386 522 505 506 530 547 615 803 1,171
  Pennsylvania 990 1,613 2,732 3,264 4,627 5,388 4,415 4,377 5,168 5,449
  Rhode Island 58 156 247 310 326 320 317 307 397 455
  South Carolina 147 427 701 761 879 1,008 1,125 1,127 1,739 2,138
  South Dakota 17 40 63 65 69 73 57 86 83 105
  Tennessee 344 872 1,269 1,457 1,630 1,776 1,823 2,089 3,034 3,813
  Texas 1,087 1,910 2,601 2,588 2,831 2,989 3,005 3,136 4,172 4,984
  Utah 205 438 603 646 635 650 624 571 622 662
  Vermont 29 53 83 99 125 134 153 133 190 252
  Virginia 366 581 980 1,039 1,405 1,507 1,448 1,547 2,240 2,626
  Washington 555 850 979 1,094 1,102 1,169 1,164 1,259 1,733 2,264
  West Virginia 75 184 627 725 884 974 856 870 1,330 1,501
  Wisconsin 212 518 853 878 1,074 1,177 1,079 1,201 1,531 1,775
  Wyoming 20 26 109 96 99 69 66 79 99 109

Timeline by drug

Concerning the data in the charts below (in this section and the following sections) deaths from the various drugs add up to more than the yearly overdose death total because multiple drugs are involved in many of the deaths.

 
US yearly overdose deaths, and the drugs involved.

Opioid charts

 
A two milligram dose of fentanyl powder (on pencil tip) is a lethal amount for most people.

Opioids were involved in around 80,400 of the around 106,700 deaths in 2021. See map higher up for states with the highest overdose death rates.

 
Three waves of opioid overdose deaths.
 
U.S. overdose deaths involving all opioids. Deaths per 100,000 population.
 
US yearly deaths from all opioid drugs. Included in this number are opioid analgesics, along with heroin and illicit synthetic opioids.
 
US yearly deaths involving other synthetic opioids, predominately Fentanyl.
 
US yearly deaths involving prescription opioids. Non-methadone synthetics is a category dominated by illegally acquired fentanyl, and has been excluded.
 
US overdose deaths involving heroin, by other opioid involvement.
 
Timeline of US overdose deaths involving stimulants (cocaine and psychostimulants), by opioid involvement.
 
US overdose deaths involving psychostimulants with abuse potential (primarily methamphetamine), by opioid involvement.
 
Opioid involvement in cocaine overdose deaths.
 
The top line represents the yearly number of benzodiazepine deaths that involved opioids in the US. The bottom line represents benzodiazepine deaths that did not involve opioids.
 
Drug overdose deaths involving antidepressants, by opioid involvement.

Rate timeline by race and ethnicity

 
Timeline of US drug overdose death rates by race and ethnicity. Rate per 100,000 population.

Rate timeline by sex

 
Timeline of US drug overdose death rates by sex, Rate per 100,000 population.

Comparisons to other countries in Europe

There were around 68,700 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2018. That is a rate of 210 deaths per million residents. Compare that rate to the 2018 rates of the European countries in the first chart below.

 
Drug overdose death rates for European countries.
  • Row numbers below are static. Other columns are sortable. This allows ranking of any column.
  • Location links below are "Healthcare in LOCATION" links.
Drug overdose deaths per year.
Location 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
  Austria 235 191 196 184 154
  Belgium 168 152 148
  Bulgaria 20 24 11 24 18
  Croatia 77 99 97 85 65
  Cyprus 10 6 5 12 16
  Czech Republic 64 58 42 39 42
  Denmark 197 202 183 239
  Estonia 39 33 27 39 110
  Finland 287 258 234 261 200
  France 417
  Germany 1,826 1,581 1,398 1,276 1,272
  Greece 230 274 255
  Hungary 42 48 43 33 33
  Ireland 235
  Italy 293 309 374 336 297
  Latvia 17 21 12 20 22
  Lithuania 62 47 52 59 83
  Luxembourg 5 6 8 4 8
  Malta 5 3 5
  Netherlands 298 295 252 224 262
  Norway 241 324 275 286 247
  Poland 229 212 199 202
  Portugal 63 72 55 51
  Romania 30 33 45 26 32
  Slovakia 28 37 34 32 19
  Slovenia 65 70 74 59 47
  Spain 774 546 450 437
  Sweden 450 524 555 583 643
  Turkey 314 342 657 941
  United Kingdom 3,284

See also

References

Further reading

 
Look up overdose in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Drug-related death statistics in the United States.
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