As cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. The most recent provisional data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) indicate that approximately 81,230 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending May, 2020. This represents a worsening of the drug overdose epidemic in the United States and is the largest number of drug overdoses for a 12-month period ever recorded. After declining 4.1% from 2017 to 2018, the number of overdose deaths increased 18.2% from the 12-months ending in June 2019 to the 12-months ending in May 2020.
The recent increase in overdose mortality began in 2019 and continued into 2020 prior to the declaration of the COVID-19 National Emergency in the United States in March 2020. The recent increases in drug overdose deaths appear to have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overdose deaths occurring in the 12-months ending in February 2020 were 74,185; in the 12-months ending in March 2020 were 75,696; in the 12-months ending in April 2020 were 77,842; and in the 12-months ending in May 2020 totaled 81,230. These one-month increases respectively for the 12-month periods are the largest monthly increases documented since provisional 12-month estimates began to be calculated in January of 2015.
“The disruption to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, M.D., “As we continue the fight to end this pandemic, it’s important to not lose sight of different groups being affected in other ways. We need to take care of people suffering from unintended consequences.”
Synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) appear to be the primary driver of the increases in overdose deaths, increasing 38.4 % from the 12-month period leading up to June 2019 compared with the 12-month period leading up to May 2020. During this time period:
• 37 of the 38 U.S. jurisdictions with available synthetic opioid data reported increases in synthetic opioid involved overdose deaths.
• 18 of these jurisdictions reported increases greater than 50%.
• 10 western states reported over a 98% increase in synthetic opioid involved deaths.
Overdose deaths involving cocaine also increased by 26.5 %. Based upon earlier research, these deaths are likely linked to co-use or contamination of cocaine with illicitly manufactured fentanyl or heroin. Overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine, increased by 34.8 %. The number of deaths involving psychostimulants now exceeds the number of cocaine-related deaths.
“The increase in overdose deaths is concerning.” Said Deb Houry, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “CDC’s Injury Center continues to help and support communities responding to the evolving overdose crisis. Our priority is to do everything we can to equip people on the ground to save lives in their communities.”
Yes, this does hit close to home, however the City of North Ridgeville felt it important to share these statistics as well as those of administered does of narcan. This webpage was designed to increase awareness of this issue and to share resources that are available to prevent drug addiction and assist drug overdose patients with treatment options and community resources.
City of North Ridgeville
Year | # of Narcan Patients |
2021 | 29 (as of 5-18-21) |
2020 | 56 |
2019 | 77 |
2018 | 68 |
2017 | 100 |
2016 | 103 |
2015 | 56 |