Chooper's Guide ... the Internet's most comprehensive substance abuse treatment, prevention and intervention resource directory.

Synthetic Opioid Overdose Data 2015

 

Synthetic Opioid Overdose Data 2015


NATIONAL OVERDOSE DATA 2015 HEROIN SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS  FENTANYL DEA 2015 DATA

 

Synthetic Opioid Overdose Deaths - 2015

Among those who died from prescription opioid overdose between 1999 and 2014:

  • Overdose rates were highest among people aged 25 to 54 years.
  • Overdose rates were higher among non-Hispanic whites and American Indian or Alaskan Natives, compared to non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics. 
  • Men were more likely to die from overdose, but the mortality gap between men and women is closing.5

 Additional Risks

Overdose is not the only risk related to prescription opioids. Misuse, abuse, and opioid use disorder (addiction) are also potential dangers.

  • In 2014, almost 2 million Americans abused or were dependent on prescription opioids.
  • As many as 1 in 4 people who receive prescription opioids long term for noncancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction.
  • Every day, over 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids.

 

Synthetic Opioid Overdoses 2014-2015 Synthetic Opioid Overdoses by region 2014-2015

Statistically significant changes in drug overdose death rates involving natural and semi-synthetic opioids by select states, United States, 2014 to 2015

Age Adjusted deaths per 100,000 for natural and synthetic opioids for 2014-2015 by region

TABLE 1Number and age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths* involving natural and semisynthetic opioids and methadone,§,¶ by sex, age group, race/ethnicity,** U.S. Census region, and selected states†† — United States, 2014 and 2015

Characteristic Natural and semisynthetic opioids Methadone
2014 2015 % change in rate, 2014 to 2015 2014 2015 % change in rate, 2014 to 2015
No. (Rate) No. (Rate) No. (Rate) No. (Rate)
Overall 12,159 (3.8) 12,727 (3.9) 2.6§§ 3,400 (1.1) 3,301 (1.0) -9.1§§
Sex
Male 6,732 (4.2) 7,117 (4.4) 4.8§§ 2,009 (1.3) 1,939 (1.2) -7.7§§
Female 5,427 (3.3) 5,610 (3.4) 3.0 1,391 (0.9) 1,362 (0.8) -11.1§§
Age group (yrs)
0–14 42 (0.1) 48 (0.1) 0.0 14 –¶¶ 13 –¶¶ ¶¶
15–24 726 (1.7) 715 (1.6) -5.9 241 (0.5) 201 (0.5) 0.0
25–34 2,115 (4.9) 2,327 (5.3) 8.2§§ 796 (1.8) 735 (1.7) -5.6
35–44 2,644 (6.5) 2,819 (6.9) 6.2§§ 768 (1.9) 739 (1.8) -5.3
45–54 3,488 (8.0) 3,479 (8.1) 1.3 854 (2.0) 843 (2.0) 0.0
55–64 2,437 (6.1) 2,602 (6.4) 4.9 629 (1.6) 642 (1.6) 0.0
≥65 706 (1.5) 736 (1.5) 0.0 98 (0.2) 127 (0.3) 50.0§§
Sex/Age group (yrs)
Male
15–24 529 (2.3) 493 (2.2) -4.3 173 (0.8) 149 (0.7) -12.5
25–44 2,869 (6.8) 3,139 (7.4) 8.8§§ 969 (2.3) 926 (2.2) -4.3
45–64 3,015 (7.4) 3,095 (7.5) 1.4 808 (2.0) 777 (1.9) -5.0
Female
15–24 197 (0.9) 222 (1.0) 11.1 68 (0.3) 52 (0.2) -33.3
25–44 1,890 (4.5) 2,007 (4.8) 6.7§§ 595 (1.4) 548 (1.3) -7.1
45–64 2,910 (6.8) 2,986 (6.9) 1.5 675 (1.6) 708 (1.6) 0.0
Race/Ethnicity**
White, non-Hispanic 10,308 (5.0) 10,774 (5.3) 6.0§§ 2,845 (1.4) 2,725 (1.4) 0.0
Black, non-Hispanic 814 (2.0) 878 (2.1) 5.0 256 (0.6) 247 (0.6) 0.0
Hispanic 727 (1.4) 780 (1.5) 7.1 228 (0.5) 235 (0.5) 0.0
U.S. Census region of residence
Northeast 1,851 (3.3) 2,095 (3.6) 9.1§§ 587 (1.0) 643 (1.1) 10.0
Midwest 2,205 (3.3) 2,302 (3.4) 3.0 675 (1.0) 673 (1.0) 0.0
South 5,101 (4.2) 5,374 (4.4) 4.8§§ 1,298 (1.1) 1,228 (1.0) -9.1§§
West 3,002 (3.9) 2,956 (3.8) -2.6 840 (1.1) 757 (1.0) -9.1
Selected states††
States with very good or excellent reporting (n = 21)
Alaska 40 (5.6) 51 (6.5) 16.1 12 –¶¶ 10 –¶¶ ¶¶
Connecticut 157 (4.3) 183 (4.8) 11.6 50 (1.4) 72 (1.9) 35.7
Iowa 81 (2.7) 75 (2.5) -7.4 16 –¶¶ 24 (0.8) ¶¶
Maine 80 (6.1) 102 (7.7) 26.2 29 (2.2) 36 (2.8) 27.3
Maryland 388 (6.2) 398 (6.5) 4.8 153 (2.4) 182 (2.9) 20.8
Massachusetts 178 (2.6) 225 (3.3) 26.9§§ 88 (1.3) 82 (1.2) -7.7
Nevada 224 (7.4) 259 (8.6) 16.2 64 (2.2) 57 (1.9) -13.6
New Hampshire 81 (5.8) 63 (4.4) -24.1 29 (2.3) 25 (1.9) -17.4
New Mexico 223 (10.9) 160 (8.1) -25.7§§ 45 (2.3) 33 (1.6) -30.4
New York 608 (3.0) 705 (3.4) 13.3§§ 231 (1.1) 246 (1.2) 9.1
North Carolina 462 (4.7) 554 (5.5) 17.0§§ 131 (1.4) 108 (1.1) -21.4
Oklahoma 370 (9.6) 277 (7.2) -25.0§§ 67 (1.7) 62 (1.7) 0.0
Oregon 137 (3.2) 150 (3.6) 12.5 59 (1.4) 70 (1.7) 21.4
Rhode Island 70 (6.7) 95 (8.3) 23.9 24 (2.2) 30 (2.4) 9.1
South Carolina 319 (6.5) 322 (6.5) 0.0 77 (1.6) 57 (1.2) -25.0
Utah 367 (13.6) 357 (12.7) -6.6 47 (1.7) 45 (1.6) -5.9
Vermont 21 (3.4) 25 (3.9) 14.7 ¶¶ –¶¶ ¶¶ –¶¶ ¶¶
Virginia 323 (3.9) 276 (3.3) -15.4§§ 105 (1.2) 67 (0.8) -33.3§§
Washington 288 (3.8) 261 (3.5) -7.9 115 (1.5) 111 (1.4) -6.7
West Virginia 363 (20.2) 356 (19.8) -2.0 35 (2.0) 29 (1.7) -15.0
Wisconsin 279 (4.8) 249 (4.3) -10.4 78 (1.4) 73 (1.3) -7.1
States with good reporting (n = 7)
Colorado 259 (4.6) 259 (4.5) -2.2 51 (0.9) 34 (0.6) -33.3
Georgia 388 (3.8) 435 (4.2) 10.5 124 (1.2) 115 (1.1) -8.3
Illinois 253 (1.9) 271 (2.0) 5.3 106 (0.9) 99 (0.8) -11.1
Minnesota 102 (1.9) 125 (2.2) 15.8 81 (1.6) 55 (1.0) -37.5
Missouri 237 (4.0) 237 (3.9) -2.5 53 (0.9) 62 (1.0) 11.1
Ohio 618 (5.4) 690 (6.1) 13.0§§ 107 (0.9) 109 (1.0) 11.1
Tennessee 554 (8.6) 643 (9.7) 12.8§§ 71 (1.1) 67 (1.0) -9.1

 

TABLE 2Number and age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths* involving synthetic opioids other than methadone and heroin,§,¶ by sex, age group, race/ethnicity,** U.S. Census region, and selected states†† — United States, 2014 and 2015
Characteristic Synthetic opioids other than methadone Heroin
2014 2015 % change in rate, 2014 to 2015 2014 2015 % change in rate, 2014 to 2015
No. (Rate) No. (Rate) No. (Rate) No. (Rate)
Overall 5,544 (1.8) 9,580 (3.1) 72.2§§ 10,574 (3.4) 12,989 (4.1) 20.6§§
Sex
Male 3,465 (2.2) 6,560 (4.2) 90.9§§ 8,160 (5.2) 9,881 (6.3) 21.2§§
Female 2,079 (1.3) 3,020 (1.9) 46.2§§ 2,414 (1.6) 3,108 (2.0) 25.0§§
Age group (yrs)
0–14 10 –¶¶ 14 –¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ –¶¶ ¶¶ –¶¶ ¶¶
15–24 514 (1.2) 999 (2.3) 91.7§§ 1452 (3.3) 1,649 (3.8) 15.2§§
25–34 1474 (3.4) 2,896 (6.6) 94.1§§ 3493 (8.0) 4,292 (9.7) 21.3§§
35–44 1264 (3.1) 2,289 (5.6) 80.6§§ 2398 (5.9) 3,012 (7.4) 25.4§§
45–54 1359 (3.1) 1,982 (4.6) 48.4§§ 2030 (4.7) 2,439 (5.6) 19.1§§
55–64 742 (1.9) 1,167 (2.9) 52.6§§ 1064 (2.7) 1,407 (3.4) 25.9§§
≥65 181 (0.4) 232 (0.5) 25.0§§ 136 (0.3) 184 (0.4) 33.3§§
Sex/Age group (yrs)
Male
15–24 376 (1.7) 718 (3.2) 88.2§§ 1,079 (4.8) 1,172 (5.2) 8.3
25–44 1,845 (4.4) 3,764 (8.9) 102.3§§ 4,566 (10.8) 5,602 (13.2) 22.2§§
45–64 1,176 (2.9) 1,948 (4.7) 65.5§§ 2,397 (5.9) 2,953 (7.2) 22.0§§
Female
15–24 138 (0.6) 281 (1.3) 116.7§§ 373 (1.7) 477 (2.2) 29.4§§
25–44 893 (2.1) 1,421 (3.4) 61.9§§ 1,325 (3.2) 1,702 (4.0) 25.0§§
45–64 925 (2.2) 1,201 (2.8) 27.3§§ 697 (1.6) 893 (2.1) 31.3§§
Race/Ethnicity**
White, non-Hispanic 4,685 (2.4) 7,995 (4.2) 75.0§§ 8,253 (4.4) 10,050 (5.4) 22.7§§
Black, non-Hispanic 449 (1.1) 883 (2.1) 90.9§§ 1,044 (2.5) 1,310 (3.1) 24.0§§
Hispanic 302 (0.6) 524 (0.9) 50.0§§ 1,049 (1.9) 1,299 (2.3) 21.1§§
U.S. Census region of residence
Northeast 1,485 (2.7) 3,071 (5.6) 107.4§§ 2,755 (5.1) 3,461 (6.3) 23.5§§
Midwest 1,319 (2.0) 2,548 (3.9) 95.0§§ 3,385 (5.2) 3,959 (6.1) 17.3§§
South 2,087 (1.8) 3,303 (2.8) 55.6§§ 2,733 (2.4) 3,722 (3.2) 33.3§§
West 653 (0.8) 658 (0.9) 12.5§§ 1,701 (2.2) 1,847 (2.4) 9.1§§
Selected states††
States with very good or excellent reporting (n = 21)
Alaska 14 –¶¶ 14 –¶¶ ¶¶ 25 (3.3) 37 (4.7) 42.4
Connecticut 94 (2.7) 211 (6.1) 125.9§§ 299 (8.9) 390 (11.3) 27.0§§
Iowa 29 (1.0) 44 (1.5) 50.0 37 (1.3) 45 (1.6) 23.1
Maine 62 (5.2) 116 (9.9) 90.4§§ 38 (3.1) 52 (4.5) 45.2
Maryland 230 (3.8) 357 (5.8) 52.6§§ 313 (5.2) 405 (6.6) 26.9§§
Massachusetts 453 (6.9) 949 (14.4) 108.7§§ 469 (7.2) 634 (9.6) 33.3§§
Nevada 32 (1.0) 32 (1.1) 10.0 64 (2.2) 82 (2.7) 22.7
New Hampshire 151 (12.4) 285 (24.1) 94.4§§ 98 (8.1) 78 (6.5) -19.8
New Mexico 66 (3.3) 42 (2.1) -36.4 139 (7.2) 156 (8.1) 12.5
New York 294 (1.4) 668 (3.3) 135.7§§ 825 (4.2) 1,058 (5.4) 28.6§§
North Carolina 217 (2.2) 300 (3.1) 40.9§§ 266 (2.8) 393 (4.1) 46.4§§
Oklahoma 73 (1.9) 93 (2.4) 26.3 26 (0.7) 36 (1.0) 42.9
Oregon 33 (0.8) 34 (0.9) 12.5 124 (3.2) 102 (2.5) -21.9
Rhode Island 82 (7.9) 137 (13.2) 67.1§§ 66 (6.8) 45 (4.3) -36.8
South Carolina 110 (2.3) 161 (3.3) 43.5§§ 64 (1.4) 100 (2.2) 57.1§§
Utah 68 (2.5) 62 (2.3) -8.0 110 (3.8) 127 (4.3) 13.2
Vermont 21 (3.6) 33 (5.6) 55.6 33 (5.8) 33 (5.8) 0.0
Virginia 176 (2.1) 270 (3.3) 57.1§§ 253 (3.1) 353 (4.3) 38.7§§
Washington 62 (0.8) 65 (0.9) 12.5 289 (4.1) 303 (4.2) 2.4
West Virginia 122 (7.2) 217 (12.7) 76.4§§ 163 (9.8) 194 (11.8) 20.4
Wisconsin 90 (1.6) 112 (2.1) 31.3 270 (4.9) 287 (5.3) 8.2
States with good reporting (n = 7)
Colorado 80 (1.5) 64 (1.2) -20.0 156 (2.9) 159 (2.8) -3.4
Georgia 174 (1.7) 284 (2.8) 64.7§§ 153 (1.6) 222 (2.2) 37.5§§
Illinois 127 (1.0) 278 (2.2) 120.0§§ 711 (5.6) 844 (6.7) 19.6§§
Minnesota 44 (0.8) 55 (1.0) 25.0 100 (1.9) 115 (2.2) 15.8
Missouri 109 (1.9) 183 (3.1) 63.2§§ 334 (5.8) 303 (5.3) -8.6
Ohio 590 (5.5) 1,234 (11.4) 107.3§§ 1,208 (11.1) 1,444 (13.3) 19.8§§
Tennessee 132 (2.1) 251 (4.0) 90.5§§ 148 (2.3) 205 (3.3) 43.5§§