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Cocaine History and Statistics | Drugabuse.ccm

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Cocaine History and Statistics | Drugabuse.ccm

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History

Cocaine is a drug derived from the South American coca plant ( Erythoxylon coca). It is a powerful stimulant and popular recreational drug. However, there are legitimate medical uses for cocaine as a topical anesthetic used in certain head, neck and respiratory tract procedures, as well as a potent vasoconstrictor to help reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, and throat.

Origins of Cocaine

Coca, the raw material needed to produce refined cocaine, grows wild in Central and South America and has also been cultivated there for at least 3500 years. Indigenous Americans have long recognized the plant's stimulant effects, and coca was even considered sacred by the Incas. Today, in countries like Peru and Bolivia, many indigenous people still chew coca leaves or drink coca tea to treat fatigue and altitude sickness.

From the 1700s until the mid-1800s, there was some investigation by Western botanists regarding the possible uses for coca, and many physicians prescribed the chewing of coca leaves for conditions as varied as fatigue, depression, or sexual dysfunction. Despite this interest, the bulk of the world's coca crop continued to be used by native populations in Central and South America.

The German chemist Friedrich Gaedcke first isolated purified cocaine, which he named "erythroxyline", from coca leaves in 1855. In 1859, a graduate student in Germany named Albert Niemann developed an improved extraction process and renamed the substance "cocaine," after the coca plant.

Regulation and Prohibition

In the US in the early 20 th century, popular pressure to regulate or ban the use of cocaine began to build, as the perception of cocaine changed from that of a harmless and beneficial medicine, to a dangerous and addictive vice like alcohol. This pressure resulted in Congress enacting a series of laws to regulate the use of cocaine in medicines and severely restrict its use for non-medical purposes.

Initially, labeling requirements for cocaine-containing products were enacted through the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. Next, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 imposed restrictions on the use of cocaine and other drugs and made it illegal for physicians to prescribe cocaine or narcotics to addicts.

Finally, the Narcotic Drugs Import and Export Act of 1922 forbade the importation of cocaine and cocaine-containing products. With the passage of this law, cocaine was essentially prohibited in the US for any non-medical uses, and legal sources of the drug were severely restricted.

Subsequent drug-control laws have maintained a broad prohibition on the recreational use of cocaine in all forms.

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Effects on the Body and Brain

Cocaine acts as a local anesthetic by blocking sodium channels on the surface of nerve cells (neurons) that are necessary to carry nerve impulses from one end of a neuron to the other. Therefore, when cocaine is applied to a specific area of the body, such as the eye, pain-sensing nerves in the area are temporarily unable to transmit pain signals to the brain.

Cocaine was the first local anesthetic ever discovered, and many newer, safer local anesthetic drugs have been given names with the suffix "-caine," such as procaine (Novocain) and lidocaine (Xylocaine). With so many non-addictive alternatives available, cocaine is rarely used in a medical capacity today.

When it is snorted, injected, or smoked, cocaine raises the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. The amount of dopamine in the synaptic space between neurons is normally low because neurons quickly reabsorb stray dopamine molecules through dopamine transporter proteins on their surface. However, cocaine blocks dopamine transporters, and that blockage causes the amount of dopamine in the synapse to rise.

This increased dopamine signaling in the brain is responsible for many of cocaine's sought-after effects, including:

Feelings of euphoria.

Increased energy.

Heightened self-confidence.

Cocaine's powerful and short-lived stimulant effects are primarily responsible for this drug's high potential for abuse. Abusers rapidly develop tolerance to cocaine's effects, and over time they must ingest progressively larger doses of the drug more frequently in order to attain a high of similar intensity, leading to addiction and dependence.

If you find yourself unable to stop using cocaine, it's time to get help. Speak with a caring treatment support professional who can talk you through how to get started on your road to recovery by calling (800) 943-0566

Who's Abusing Cocaine?

When the modern surge in cocaine abuse began in the 1970s, many people considered the expensive powdered form of this drug to be glamorous and relatively safe. Recreational use was initially isolated within the relatively wealthy and prosperous segments of society.

Decreases in the price of powdered cocaine over subsequent decades and the introduction of "crack" cocaine, a cheap smokable form of the drug, expanded the illicit cocaine market into poor urban neighborhoods.

Statistics on Cocaine Use

How many people have used cocaine in their lifetime?

How many people used cocaine in the last year?

How many people used cocaine in the last month?

How many youth use cocaine?

Online Interest in Cocaine

The popularity of Internet searches including the word "cocaine" has remained fairly steady according to Google Trends. The geographical distribution of Internet searches was also fairly even across the country, with relatively more searches originating on the East and West coasts, and in the South.

Google Trends: Searches for "cocaine"

These stable search numbers in recent years may reflect the fact that cocaine is well-established in the popular consciousness and there have been no significant events in the last 15 years to spark renewed interest in the drug.

The Cocaine Market

While cocaine abuse is a global phenomenon, the highest rates of consumption have been reported in:

This uneven geographical distribution of recreational use in wealthier countries in part reflects the relatively high price of cocaine compared to other illicit drugs.

Countries using the most cocaine

Today, between 70% and 80% of the world's supply of cocaine is produced in Colombia using locally grown coca as well as supplies from Peru and Bolivia. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has estimated that Colombia produces $400 million of cocaine each week.

According to the Central Intelligence Agency, the US is the world's leading consumer of cocaine, buying over $28 billion of the drug per year. However, the RAND corporation estimates that from 2006 to 2010, US cocaine consumption decreased by about 50%. Furthermore, this drop in use was specific to cocaine, as RAND estimated that cannabis consumption increased by over 30% during the same time period.

Annual market size for cocaine

How much cocaine is consumed every year?

Estimates that suggest the US market for cocaine is shrinking are supported by falling statistics for the amount of cocaine seized by law enforcement since 2006.

Because the amount of illicit cocaine seized globally has increase significantly since the early 2000s, the shrinking demand for cocaine in the US does not simply reflect a decrease in the drug's worldwide popularity but recent changes specific to this country.

Global cocaine seizures (unadjusted for purity)

United States DEA domestic seizures

Cocaine seized entering the United States

One explanation proposed to explain the decreased national demand for cocaine is that the drug has gone out of fashion. Though the number of people using cocaine casually has remained stable over the years, the population of frequent, regular users is getting older and smaller over time, and the declining numbers of these habitual users has reduced overall spending on cocaine.

How much are people spending on cocaine?

Average monthly spending on cocaine

Rising prices for cocaine have also contributed to the declining market for this drug in the US, just as falling cocaine prices 30 years ago contributed to the huge increases in sales observed in the 1980s and 1990s.

Starting around 2007, there was a steep increase in the price of cocaine, which coincided with the decline in demand. It is thought that high prices depress demand from casual users, while those who are addicted switch to less costly substitutes, like methamphetamine, to satisfy their stimulant addiction.

Street price of cocaine

The Office of National Drug Control Policy has attributed this price drop to efforts taken to reduce global cocaine supplies. These efforts include closer cooperation and support for anti-narcotics efforts by the governments of Colombia and Peru, and more effective interdiction efforts by the US Coast Guard and other agencies, which have reduced the amount of cocaine reaching the US.

Amount of cocaine seized

In fact, the amount of cocaine seized in the US and at its borders has fallen, even as global seizures of the drug have risen, suggesting that low demand and effective anti-smuggling efforts have caused groups involved in international cocaine trafficking to shift their efforts elsewhere.

Is Cocaine Illegal?

The DEA currently lists cocaine as a Schedule II controlled substance. This category includes drugs that have recognized medical uses but also present a high risk for abuse. Other drugs listed in Schedule II include:

The DEA sets annual "production quotas" to restrict the amount of Schedule I and Schedule II drugs that can be legally produced or imported for legitimate research and medical purposes. Although there has been some variation, the quota for cocaine has never exceeded 290 kilograms per year in the last decade, or less than 1/3 of a metric ton. That amount is less than 0.2% of the 145 metric tons of cocaine consumed in the US in 2010.

United States DEA annual production quotas for cocaine

Legal Penalties of Using Cocaine

Physicians, pharmacists, and researchers must obtain licenses to possess and dispense cocaine and keep strict records for law-enforcement. Aside from narrowly defined medical and research purposes, possession of cocaine is strictly prohibited.

The federal penalty for a first-time offense of powdered cocaine possession can be up to 1 year in prison, a $1,000 fine, or both, (Penalties are higher for subsequent offenses.)

Penalties may be higher for an equivalent amount of crack cocaine than the powdered form, though drug-sentencing reforms have begun to address this discrepancy.

In addition to federal charges, most states also have laws outlawing the possession and sale of cocaine. These laws may result in additional penalties for users depending on the state in which they are charged.

How Dangerous Is Cocaine?

Though considered relatively benign by many people, cocaine use can cause many unpleasant and potentially dangerous effects. With excessive or frequent use, this drug can cause:

Ingesting an overdose of cocaine can lead to potentially lethal complications including cardiac arrhythmias or hyperthermia (elevated body temperature).

Chronic use of cocaine increases the risk of:

Stoke.

Heart attack.

Depression or other mood disorders brought on by chronic elevation of dopamine in the brain.

Cocaine-related emergency room visits

Cocaine-related emergency room visits by people seeking detox services

Treatment facility admissions for cocaine

Insufflating (snorting) the powdered form of cocaine leaves a residue of hydrochloric acid in the nasal cavity, and over time this can damage and degrade the cartilage between the nostrils.

Chronic crack smoking can damage the lungs and result in abusers coughing up blood.

The greatest danger of cocaine use lies in its potential for dependence and addiction. Like all other chemical addictions, dependence on cocaine causes individuals to continue using despite negative consequences on their personal lives and finances. Furthermore, attempts to stop taking cocaine can lead to anxiety, panic, or depression in an addicted person, leading to an increased risk of suicide or other harmful behaviors.

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Cocaine is a drug derived from the South American coca plant ( Erythoxylon coca). It is a powerful stimulant and popular recreational drug. However, there are legitimate medical uses for cocaine as a topical anesthetic used in certain head, neck and respiratory tract procedures, as well as a potent vasoconstrictor to help reduce bleeding of the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose, and throat.

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Cocaine Prices Have Fallen Steeply Since 1980s : NPR

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Cocaine Prices Have Fallen Steeply Since 1980s : NPR

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Recent government estimates admit cocaine's price fell to about $135 per gram - down from the peak prices of the early 1980s, when a pure gram of the drug sold for several hundred dollars.

Peter Reuter, professor of public policy and criminology at the University of Maryland, tells NPR's Michele Norris that the low prices of powder and crack cocaine can be tied to its declining popularity - and aging drug traffickers who are less violent and less willing to take risks.

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Cocaine Prices Have Fallen Steeply Since 1980s

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Recent government estimates show cocaine's price fell to about $135 per gram --down from the peak prices of the early 1980s, when a pure gram of the drug sold for several hundred dollars. An analyst attributes the low prices to a drop in popularity, along with aging drug traffickers.

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The Crack Epidemic - The History of Crack Cocaine - Drug-Free World

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The Crack Epidemic - The History of Crack Cocaine - Drug-Free World

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The Crack Epidemic - The History of Crack Cocaine - Drug-Free World

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Watch Truth About Drugs Documentary Video & Learn About Substance Addiction. Get The Facts About Painkillers, Marijuana, Cocaine, Meth & Other Illegal Drugs.

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Film tells story of mentally ill woman who died in Concord farmhouse

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Film tells story of mentally ill woman who died in Concord farmhouse

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Filmmaker Todd Wider was first inspired to make a documentary about mental illness when he experienced it firsthand in his hometown of New York City.

Wider came home one night to find that a homeless man had broken in because he was cold and trying to get warm. Wider called the police to get the man and take him to a shelter, but he bounded out of the police cruiser and fled into the cold winter night.

The same man was back on the filmmaker's front stoop a few days later, sitting in plastic chair - soaked in his own urine and talking to himself incessantly.

So Wider called the police again, only to be told by a dispatcher that if they had to come arrest every homeless person in New York City, they wouldn't have time to do anything else.

"This is not a law enforcement problem," the dispatcher said. "This is a societal problem."

There are more than 60,000 homeless in New York City, many who suffer from mental illness, but Todd and his brother Jedd Wider turned their attention to Concord to tell a story about homelessness and mental illness.

The brothers' new documentary God Knows Where I Am tells the story of Linda Bishop, a mentally ill woman who was discharged from New Hampshire Hospital and ultimately starved to death in an abandoned farmhouse on Mountain Road in early 2008 during a very cold winter.

"These people become faceless, they become nameless," Jedd Wider said. "We wanted to bring a name to this intelligent woman."

The brothers had initially read about Bishop when she was profiled in a 2011 New Yorker piece. What drew them to her story was the fact that she was hidden in plain sight.

Over the four months she lived in the abandoned house, Bishop was close enough to see the TV flickering in the neighbors' living room across the street. As she struggled with no heat, no electricity and only scavenged apples to eat, a handyman came to mow the lawn and the siblings who co-owned the house came to collect old items.

No one saw her.

"The house is only a few hundred feet from the road. No one knew she was here, yet here she is, starving to death," Jedd Wider said. "That element and that horrifying notion drew us to this story."

It took the brothers about four years to complete the film; two years to shoot the footage and another two to complete postproduction.

Their aim was to create an experiential documentary, not just to tell Bishop's story, but to put viewers in her place, seeing and hearing the sights and sounds of her days in the farmhouse.

"We wanted to bring a dignity back to this woman who died in perhaps the most undignified way," Jedd Wider said. "As life was going on outside this window, her life was fleeting."

They painted Bishop's life in rich detail, using old photographs and home videos from her childhood and early adulthood that family members provided.

She wrote daily in diaries she kept during her stay at the house about her mood and her everyday activities.

Bishop was diagnosed with bipolar disorder with psychosis by doctors at New Hampshire Hospital, but her intelligence still shone through.

She was also very strong-willed, signing a form that made it so her family could not know if she was discharged from the hospital, and making sure she was in charge of her own medical decisions.

Ultimately, that strong-willed nature would lead to her demise, especially when doctors went along with her wishes.

"She didn't want the medication," Todd Wider said. "That reinforced her sense of being right."

After being discharged from New Hampshire Hospital, she spent a few days walking over to East Concord, where she happened upon the abandoned farmhouse and decided she wanted to stay there because it was quieter and calmer than the hospital she had just left.

She lived in solitude for the next four months, picking a stash of hundreds of apples and collecting water out of a stream on the property. Her diaries reveal a hope she would be rescued, but a fear that there would be demons in homeless shelters.

That illness ultimately overwhelmed what resourcefulness Bishop had.

Years later, as the Wider brothers filmed in the farmhouse during cold winter months, they said it gave them an appreciation of the conditions Bishop lived through.

"It really speaks to her endurance ... but also her cognitive impairment," Todd Wider said.

God Knows Where I Am will be shown at Red River Theatres on Friday, April 21, at 7 p.m., with a discussion following. The film is also being released in 40 theaters nationwide.

(Ella Nilsen can be reached at 369-3322, enilsen@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @ella_nilsen.)

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Film tells story of mentally ill woman who died in Concord farmhouse

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Filmmaker Todd Wider was first inspired to make a documentary about mental illness when he experienced it firsthand in his hometown of New York City.Wider came home one night to find that a homeless man had broken in because he was cold and trying to...

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local, close to home, talks about affects of homelessness and medication/drugs

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In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.

Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.

In 2017 HHS declared a public health emergency and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis

Download the Opioid Epidemic in the U.S.
Understanding the Opioid Crisis

Opioid Crisis
Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy.

Opioid Overdose
Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016, more than any previous year on record. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid.

Why do Adults Misuse Prescription Drugs?
Policymakers can use this information from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to help inform substance abuse prevention and treatment needs in their communities.

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In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.

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Opioid Overdose Crisis | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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Opioid Overdose Crisis | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects information on deaths involving drugs commonly associated with fatal overdose. NIDA analyzes NCHS data to create the figures and descriptions on this page. Final and provisional data are available to the public and can be accessed from an ad-hoc query system called CDC Wonder-Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research. The NCHS also provides 12-month-ending Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts by state and drug category.

Timely data related to unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths by participating jurisdiction is also available from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). Similar data related to nonfatal drug overdoses are reported through CDC's Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology (DOSE) system.

See the latest from NIDA on drug overdose research.

See Frequently Asked Questions about drug overdose statistics.

Figure 1. National Drug-Involved Overdose Deaths-Number Among All Ages, by Gender, 1999-2021. More than 106,000 persons in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdose in 2021, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. drug overdose deaths involving select illicit or prescription drugs from 1999 to 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths by gender from 1999 to 2021 (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 2. National Drug-Involved Overdose Deaths by Specific Category-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. Overall, drug overdose deaths rose from 2019 to 2021 with more than 106,000 drug overdose deaths reported in 2021. Deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) continued to rise with 70,601 overdose deaths reported in 2021. Those involving stimulants, including cocaine or psychostimulants with abuse potential (primarily methamphetamine), also continued to increase with 32,537 overdose deaths in 2021 (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 3. National Overdose Deaths Involving Any Opioid-Number Among All Ages, by Gender, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving any opioid from 1999 to 2021. Any opioid includes prescription opioids (natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone), heroin, and synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl). Opioid-involved overdose deaths rose from 21,089 in 2010 to 47,600 in 2017 and remained steady through 2019. This was followed by a significant increase in 2020 with 68,630 reported deaths and again in 2021 with 80,411 reported overdose deaths. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths by gender from 1999 to 2021 (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 4. National Overdose Deaths Involving Prescription Opioids-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving commonly prescribed opioids (including natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone) from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving prescription opioids rose from 3,442 in 1999 to 17,029 in 2017. From 2017 to 2019, the number of deaths declined to 14,139. This was followed by a slight increase in 2020, with 16,416 reported deaths. In 2021, the number of reported deaths involving prescription opioids totaled 16,706. The bars are overlaid by a line showing the number of deaths involving prescription opioids in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl). A second line shows prescription opioids without any other opioid from 1999 to 2021 and demonstrates that commonly prescribed opioids are no longer driving the overdose crisis (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 5. National Overdose Deaths Involving Heroin, by Other Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving heroin from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving heroin rose from 1,960 in 1999 to 15,482 in 2017 before trending down to 13,165 deaths in 2020 and 9,173 deaths in 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving heroin in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any other opioid from 1999 to 2021 (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 6. National Overdose Deaths Involving Stimulants (cocaine and psychostimulants), by Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving stimulants from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths rose from 12,122 in 2015 to 53,495 in 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving stimulants in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid. The number of deaths involving stimulants has increased steadily since 2014 regardless of opioid involvement (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 7. National Overdose Deaths Involving Psychostimulants With Abuse Potential (Primarily Methamphetamine), by Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving psychostimulants with abuse potential from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving psychostimulants with abuse potential rose from 547 in 1999 to 23,837 in 2020 and continued to increase to 32,537 deaths in 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving psychostimulants in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid. The number of deaths involving psychostimulants has increased steadily since 2014 regardless of opioid involvement (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 8. National Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Cocaine, by Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving cocaine from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving cocaine rose steadily from 6,784 in 2015 to 15,883 in 2019. From 2019 to 2021, cocaine-involved deaths rose nearly 54% to 24,486 deaths. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving cocaine in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid. The number of deaths in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone has increased significantly since 2015 and is the main driver of cocaine-involved overdose deaths (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 9. National Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Benzodiazepines, by Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines steadily increased from 1,135 in 1999 to 11,537 in 2017 and declined to 9,711 in 2019. Between 2019 and 2021, deaths rose again to 12,499. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving benzodiazepines in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid (Source: CDC WONDER).

Figure 10. National Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Antidepressants, by Opioid Involvement-Number Among All Ages, 1999-2021. The figure above is a bar and line graph showing the total number of U.S. overdose deaths involving antidepressants from 1999 to 2021. Drug overdose deaths involving antidepressants rose steadily from 1,749 in 1999 to 5,269 in 2017. Since then, deaths have slightly risen with 5,859 in 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines showing the number of deaths involving antidepressants in combination with synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) or without any opioid involvement (Source: CDC WONDER).

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Description of Figures

The figures above are bar charts showing the number of U.S. overdose deaths involving select illicit or prescription drugs from 1999 through 2021. The bars are overlaid by lines representing gender or concurrent opioid involvement. Please note the y-axis scale varies by bar chart and caution should be applied when comparing graphs side-by-side.

There were 106,699 drug-involved overdose deaths reported in the U.S. in 2021 (Figure 1); 69% of cases occurred among males (yellow line). Synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) were the main driver of drug overdose deaths with a nearly 7.5-fold increase from 2015 to 2021 (Figure 2).

Drug overdose deaths involving any opioid―prescription opioids (including natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone), other synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl), and heroin―continued to rise through 2021 with 80,411 deaths. More than 70% of deaths occurred among males (Figure 3). From 2020 to 2021, the number of deaths involving prescription opioids remained steady (Figure 4).

Overdose deaths involving heroin have trended down since 2016 with 9,173 deaths reported in 2021 (Figure 5). Nearly 75% of overdose deaths in 2021 involving heroin also involved synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl).

Drug overdose deaths involving stimulants, cocaine, or psychostimulants with abuse potential (primarily methamphetamine) have significantly increased since 2015 from 12,122 to 53,495 in 2021 (Figure 6).

Since 2015, the number of deaths involving psychostimulants with abuse potential (primarily methamphetamine) has risen significantly each year-with 32,537 deaths in 2021 (Figure 7). The number of deaths involving cocaine has also increased steadily since 2015 with 24,486 deaths reported in 2021 (Figure 8).

The final two charts show the number of overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines (Figure 8) or antidepressants (Figure 9). Benzodiazepines were involved in 12,499 deaths in 2021-steadily increasing since 2015. The proportion of deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily fentanyl) has increased significantly since 2015. Of the 8,791 deaths involving benzodiazepines in 2015, 20% also involved fentanyl. In 2021, this proportion increased to 70% of all deaths involving benzodiazepines. Antidepressant-involved deaths have also risen steadily, driven by fentanyl, with 5,859 deaths reported in 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NIDA collect and release the data displayed on this webpage?

No. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects and reports these data, which are available to the public and can be accessed from an ad-hoc query system called CDC Wonder-Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. NIDA does not fund or assist in the collection of these data but does analyze NCHS data to create the figures and descriptions on this page.

Why are the statistics displayed not more recent? Where can I find timelier estimates of overdose death rates?

This webpage is regularly updated to display the most recent final drug overdose death data published annually by NCHS. NCHS systems receive and analyze data from death certificates, including cause-of-death information reported by state and local medical examiners and coroners. Because drug overdose deaths often require lengthy investigations, data are updated as new information is received.

For more recent provisional data, please see Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts from NCHS. Timely data related to unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths by participating jurisdiction is also available from the Similar data related to nonfatal drug overdoses are reported through CDC's Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology (DOSE) system.

Where can I find more information about the data displayed on this webpage?
For more information or to contact CDC, please visit the CDC's Drug Overdose Deaths webpage.

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Drug Overdose Death Rates | National Institute on Drug Abuse

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collects information on deaths involving many commonly used drugs The CDC's reporting on deaths by overdose.