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.
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 1. Number 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 2. Number 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§§ |