Overdose deaths grew 33 percent nationally in first 8 months of 2020

Overdose deaths were up 27 percent in 2020 from 2019. This is unfortunate, fueled by COVID-19 restrictions, has also been seen nationally. According to the National Vital Statistics System, between October 2019 and October 2020, the U.S. experienced 88,990 overdose deaths. This is 28 percent higher than the number of deaths experienced between October 2018 and October 2019.

In an analysis of preliminary data, researchers at the Commonwealth Fund had the following to say about the trend in overdose deaths in 2020.

Our estimates show that total overdose deaths spiked to record levels in March 2020 after the pandemic hit. Monthly deaths grew by about 50 percent between February and May to more than 9,000; they were likely still around 8,000 in August. Prior to 2020, U.S. monthly overdose deaths had never risen above 6,300.

Opioid-related deaths drove these increases, specifically synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Opioids accounted for around 75 percent of all overdose deaths during the early months of the pandemic; around 80 percent of those included synthetic opioids.

Generally, compared to the same period in 2019, during the first 8 months of 2020,

Overdose deaths increased in almost every state; 24 states and the District of Columbia had an estimated increase of at least 30 percent, and the overall U.S. total increased by 33 percent.

States like West Virginia and Kentucky have long been at the heart of the opioid epidemic, and that region is still reporting some of the largest proportional increases. Recent research has also highlighted the growing impact of fentanyl and overdose deaths within states farther West. Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Washington all experienced increases above 35 percent during the first eight months of 2020; Colorado recently reported record overdose deaths during full year 2020.

Young people face a significantly lower risk of dying from COVID-19 than from overdose, as illustrated by Minnesota data.Yet, social distancing rules and stay-at-home orders did not take that risk into account, consequently increasing overdose deaths.

Individuals aged 25 to 34 had the highest number of overdose deaths and saw the highest jump in deaths from 2019. 274 individuals in this age group died from an overdose in 2020, while only 15 died from COVID-19. To put it in perspective, individuals aged 25-34 were 18 times more likely to die from an overdose than from COVID-19. It is similar to individuals aged 35-44, although to a lesser extent. Individuals in this group were four times more likely to die from overdose than from COVID-19 in 2020.