10 Key Drug Overdose Death Statistics
- In 2020, there were 93,331 drug overdose deaths in the United States.
- The drug overdose death rate increased by 29.4% from 2019 to 2020.
- Synthetic opioids were involved in 69.5% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- The states with the highest overdose death rates in 2020 were West Virginia, Kentucky, and Rhode Island.
- Overdose deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants with abuse potential also increased significantly in 2020, with death rates increasing by 26.5% and 34.8%, respectively.
- Heroin was involved in 9.9% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- Natural/semi-synthetic opioids were involved in 59.8% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- The number of drug overdose deaths involving methamphetamine increased by 55.5% from 2019 to 2020.
- Overdose death rates among Black people increased by 38.9% from 2019 to 2020.
- Overdose death rates among Hispanic people increased by 37.9% from 2019 to 2020.
How Many People Died from Drugs?
- In 2020, there were 93,331 drug overdose deaths in the United States.
- This number represents a 29.4% increase from the previous year.
- Of these deaths, synthetic opioids were involved in 69.5%, natural/semi-synthetic opioids were involved in 59.8%, and heroin was involved in 9.9%.
- Other drugs involved in fatal overdoses include cocaine (26.5%), psychostimulants with abuse potential (34.8%), and methamphetamine (55.5%).
- Overdose death rates among Black people increased by 38.9%, while overdose death rates among Hispanic people increased by 37.9%.
Drug Overdose Deaths by Age
- Ages 15-24: 7.2%
- Ages 25-34: 26.9%
- Ages 35-44: 27.4%
- Ages 45-54: 21.8%
- Ages 55 and older: 16.6%
Drug Overdose Deaths by Gender
Drug overdose deaths also affect individuals of all genders, but some gender groups are more at risk than others. Here are the percentages of drug overdose deaths by gender in 2020:
- Male: 63.5%
- Female: 36.5%
As we can see, the majority of drug overdose deaths occurred among males with a percentage of 63.5%. However, it is important to note that female drug overdose deaths have been increasing at a faster rate than male drug overdose deaths in recent years, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and prevention efforts for both genders.
Drug Overdose Deaths by Ethnicity
- White: 69.5%
- Black or African American: 11.8%
- Hispanic or Latino: 16.7%
- Asian: 1.2%
- American Indian or Alaska Native: 1.4%
Drug Overdose Deaths by State
- West Virginia: 61.8%
- Kentucky: 52.6%
- Rhode Island: 50.4%
- Ohio: 49.2%
- Delaware: 46.4%
- Pennsylvania: 45.7%
- New Hampshire: 44.3%
- Connecticut: 43.5%
- Louisiana: 42.9%
- Missouri: 41.1%
- Michigan: 40.6%
- Alabama: 40.4%
- Tennessee: 40.1%
- Indiana: 39.8%
- Mississippi: 39.8%
- Arkansas: 39.3%
- Oklahoma: 38.9%
- Georgia: 38.7%
- Nevada: 38.4%
- South Carolina: 38.2%
Drug Overdose Death Rates by Country
- Estonia: 132.6 deaths per million
- Sweden: 92.2 deaths per million
- Norway: 80.8 deaths per million
- Scotland: 77.4 deaths per million
- Ireland: 71.3 deaths per million
- England and Wales: 70.7 deaths per million
- Finland: 68.9 deaths per million
- Canada: 55.9 deaths per million
- Denmark: 53.3 deaths per million
- Switzerland: 51.5 deaths per million
- United States: 48.3 deaths per million
- Germany: 17.1 deaths per million
- Australia: 16.9 deaths per million
- Japan: 1.9 deaths per million
- South Korea: 1.4 deaths per million
- Singapore: 0.2 deaths per million
Opioid Overdose Death Rates in the U.S
- Synthetic opioids were involved in 69.5% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, representing a 55.6% increase from the previous year.
- Natural/semi-synthetic opioids were involved in 59.8% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, representing a 9.7% increase from the previous year.
- Heroin was involved in 9.9% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, representing a slight decrease from the previous year.
- Methadone was involved in 2.4% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, representing a slight decrease from the previous year.
- Prescription opioid pain relievers were involved in 26.4% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, representing a slight decrease from the previous year.
Opioid Overdose Death Rates by Country
- The United States has the highest opioid overdose death rate in the world, with 16.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Canada has the second-highest opioid overdose death rate, with 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Australia has an opioid overdose death rate of 5.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
- The United Kingdom has an opioid overdose death rate of 4.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Germany has an opioid overdose death rate of 1.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
- France has an opioid overdose death rate of 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Italy has an opioid overdose death rate of 0.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
Prescription Drugs Overdose Death Rates in the U.S
- In 2020, prescription opioid pain relievers were involved in 26.4% of all drug overdose deaths in the United States.
- Benzodiazepines were involved in 11.9% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- Anti-depressants were involved in 7.2% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- Anti-psychotics were involved in 3.6% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020.
- Other prescription drugs involved in fatal overdoses include anti-convulsants (1.9%), muscle relaxants (1.5%), and anti-anxiety medications (1.3%).
Prescription Drugs Overdose Death Rates by Country
- The United States has the highest prescription drug overdose death rate in the world, with 26.4% of all drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioid pain relievers.
- Canada has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 7.3%, with benzodiazepines involved in 2.5% of all drug overdose deaths.
- Australia has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 3.9%, with benzodiazepines involved in 1.8% of all drug overdose deaths.
- The United Kingdom has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 3.5%, with anti-depressants involved in 1.6% of all drug overdose deaths.
- Germany has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 1.8%, with benzodiazepines involved in 0.7% of all drug overdose deaths.
- France has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 1.5%, with anti-depressants involved in 0.6% of all drug overdose deaths.
- Italy has a prescription drug overdose death rate of 0.9%, with anti-depressants involved in 0.4% of all drug overdose deaths.
Illicit Drugs Overdose Death Rates in the U.S
- In 2020, cocaine was involved in 26.5% of all drug overdose deaths, representing an increase from the previous year.
- Psychostimulants with abuse potential (such as methamphetamine) were involved in 34.8% of all drug overdose deaths, representing a significant increase from the previous year.
- The number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs increased by 55.6% from 2019 to 2020.
- Other illicit drugs involved in fatal overdoses include benzodiazepines (involved in 11.9% of all drug overdose deaths), heroin (involved in 9.9% of all drug overdose deaths), and methamphetamine (involved in 7.4% of all drug overdose deaths).
Illicit Drugs Overdose Death Rates by Country
- Canada has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 5.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Australia has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people.
- The United Kingdom has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 1.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Germany has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 1.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
- France has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
- Italy has an illicit drug overdose death rate of 0.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
FAQs
How many people died from drug overdose in 2020?
In 2020, there were 93,331 drug overdose deaths in the United States.
What drugs are involved in fatal overdoses?
Synthetic opioids were involved in 69.5% of all drug overdose deaths in 2020, followed by natural/semi-synthetic opioids (59.8%), cocaine (26.5%), and psychostimulants with abuse potential (34.8%). Heroin was involved in 9.9% of all drug overdose deaths.
Are opioid-related deaths still increasing?
Yes, opioid-related deaths continue to rise. Synthetic opioids were involved in nearly seven out of ten fatal overdoses in 2020 alone, representing a 55.6% increase from the previous year.
Which age groups are most affected by drug overdose deaths?
Individuals aged 25-44 years old had the highest rates of drug overdose deaths in 2020, with ages ranging from 25-54 accounting for over two-thirds of all such deaths.
Are drug overdose death rates higher among certain ethnic groups?
White individuals had the highest rate of drug overdose deaths at 69.5%, while Black or African American individuals had a rate of only 11.8%. Hispanic or Latino individuals had a rate of 16.7%.
What is being done to address this issue?
Efforts to combat drug overdose deaths include expanding access to addiction treatment and recovery services, increasing availability and use of naloxone (a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose), improving public health surveillance and data collection systems, and implementing harm reduction strategies such as safe injection sites and needle exchange programs.
What is the leading cause of drug death?
Drug overdose is the leading cause of drug-related deaths in the United States, accounting for over two-thirds (69%) of all such deaths in recent years according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The majority of these deaths are attributed to synthetic opioids, which were involved in nearly seven out of ten fatal overdoses in 2020 alone, as mentioned earlier in this article.
Other drugs that contribute to fatal overdoses include natural/semi-synthetic opioids, cocaine, psychostimulants with abuse potential, and heroin, each responsible for a significant proportion of drug-related deaths in the country.
It is important to note that many drug-related deaths involve multiple substances rather than a single drug, making it difficult to determine which specific substance was responsible for an individual's death in some cases.
Conclusion
Drug overdose death statistics are alarming and highlight the urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. It is crucial to address the underlying causes of drug abuse and addiction, such as mental health issues, poverty, and unemployment, to reduce drug overdose deaths. By working together, we can reduce the impact of drug overdose on individuals, families, and society as a whole.
Sources
- https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/overdose-death-rates
- https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/index.html
- https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/drugoverdoses/data-details/
- https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/
- https://ourworldindata.org/illicit-drug-use
- https://www.transformationstreatment.center/
