NEW YORK – The number of drug overdoses in America reached a new record in 2022, according to final figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Thursday. Nearly 108,000 Americans died in 2022, compared to 107,000 in 2021.
Earlier provisional data suggested a death toll of more than 109,000 overdose deaths in 2022. However, that provisional data encompasses all overdose deaths, whereas the final figures are confined to U.S. residents.
While the male overdose death rate persistently climbed, the female overdose death rate experienced a decline for the first time in five years. Nevertheless, males still represent approximately 70% of all overdose deaths in the United States.
As for 2023, the CDC has yet to release overdose figures. However, preliminary data spanning the first ten months of the year suggest that overdose deaths remained relatively stable from 2022 to 2023.