Oklahoma has seen the largest 3-year decrease at an 8.05% annual decline.Wyoming has the lowest number of overdose deaths at 79.Nebraska sees the lowest rate of overdose deaths at 0.95%, with 8.7 deaths out of every 100,000 residents.West Virginia has more drug overdose deaths per capita than any other state (52.8 out of every 100,000 residents).California has the highest number of drug overdose deaths at 6,198.Maryland sees the greatest overdose death rate among all deaths, with 4.68% of annual deaths attributed to drug overdose.There is a wide range of overdose death rates among the states the highest concentration is located in the Northeast, straddling the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions. Among that age group, men are still 75.64%.Among women, overdose deaths are most common among 45- to 54-year-olds.Among men in that age group, the OD death rate is 146.82% higher than women in the same age group.Men aged 25 to 34 years old are the most likely among all age groups to die from an OD.Among both genders, Asian or Pacific Islanders are the least likely to die due to OD.Among men, Black or African Americans are the most likely to die from an OD.Among women, American Indian and Alaska Natives are the most likely to die from an OD.Among females, OD deaths have increased at an annual growth rate of 14.96%.Among males, OD deaths have increased at an annual growth rate of 14.16%.Rapid release data is unavailable, and demographics likely shifted during the recent pandemic. Heroin is an illegally manufactured synthetic opioid made from morphine.
Synthetic opioids other than methadone include tramadol and fentanyl. Methadone is a synthetic opioid that is usually categorized on its own in official data. Semi-synthetic opioids include oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone. Natural opioids include morphine and codeine.
Opioids are the deadliest drug type at least one type of opioid is a factor in 71.76% of ODs.Among 25- to 34-year-olds, the male OD death rate exceeds women’s by 146.8%.Women are dying from drug overdoses at a slightly faster annual rate.Men are more than twice as likely as women to die from drug overdose.The OD death rate among this same age group is 41.9% lower than the national average death rate.Among youth and young adults aged 15 to 24 years, the average annual OD death rate is 12.6 out of every 100,000.The national OD rate is 21.6 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Just as drug-related deaths aren’t always recorded as overdoses, some overdoses involve multiple drug types. * This chart includes attributable deaths for each drug some deaths involve multiple drug types, and percentage totals will exceed 100%.