Drug Overdose Deaths Hit 1 Million in the Last 20 Years
An NPR report on the CDC’s provisional drug overdose counts and recent data brief reveals that “Deaths due to drug overdose have topped a million for the first time since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began collecting data on the problem over two decades ago.” According to the CDC NCHS data, there were approximately 932,364 drug overdose deaths from 1999 through 2020 and approximately 100,000 deaths in the 12-month period ending May 2021.
A Look at the Stats on Drug Overdose Deaths
A recently released Data Brief from NCHS provides the results of a review of drug overdose deaths from 1999 to 2020. Drug overdose death rates in all groups aged 15 and older and all race and Hispanic-origin groups were higher in 2020 than 2019. Specific key findings include:
The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased 31% from 2019 (21.6 per 100,000 standard population) to 2020 (28.3).
Among adults aged 35–44, the age group with the highest rates, drug overdose deaths increased 33% from 2019 (40.5) to 2020 (53.9).
Since 2016, rates of drug overdose deaths involving opioids have been highest for deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone.
The rate of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (such as fentanyl) increased 56%, from 11.4 in 2019 to 17.8 in 2020.
The rise in the age-adjusted rates of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants with abuse potential that began in 2012 continued through 2020.
From 2019 to 2020, the rate of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine increased 22%, from 4.9 to 6.0, and the rate of drug overdose deaths involving psychostimulants with abuse potential (such as methamphetamine) increased 50%, from 5.0 to 7.5.