U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Rose 15% Between 2020 & 2021

Between 2020 and 2021, the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States increased from 93,655 deaths estimated in 2020 to an estimated 107,622 deaths during 2021, an increase of 15%. About 80% of these deaths involved opioids, and during the year, opioid overdose deaths increased by 15.4%, from an estimated 70,029 in 2020 to 80,816 in 2021.

According to data submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Vital Statistics System, overdose deaths involving psychostimulants such as methamphetamine, and cocaine also continued to increase in 2021 compared to 2020. Overdose . . .