CDC: Fatal drug overdoses in the United States hit record high in 2021

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 107,622 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021, setting a grim new record.

The provisional data, which is calculated with adjustments made for inaccurate reporting numbers and records not yet submitted, showed that in 2021, one American died roughly every 5 minutes from a drug overdose. The CDC says the increase likely has a strong link to pandemic life, which made it much harder for those seeking treatment to find a provider.

Some drugs in particular appear to have played a central role in the uptick in fatal drug overdoses in the last year. In particular, fentanyl, which is relatively affordable and highly potent, has increased in use as it is often cut into other drugs and sold to unsuspecting users. A small amount of fentanyl can be fatal, so users who are using it unknowingly can easily ingest too much.

“The net effect is that we have many more people, including those who use drugs occasionally and even adolescents, exposed to these potent substances that can cause someone to overdose even with a relatively small exposure,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The White House responded to the findings by announcing several measures to tackle the opioid epidemic. “Those actions include expanding access to high impact harm reduction tools like naloxone, quickly connecting more people to treatment, disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking operations, and improving data to systems that drive the Nation’s drug policy,” said Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

Gupta also said, “It is unacceptable that we are losing a life to overdose every five minutes around the clock. That is why President Biden’s new National Drug Control Strategy signals a new era of drug policy centered on individuals and communities, focusing specifically on the actions we must take right now to reduce overdoses and save lives.”