According to the latest CDC Monthly Provisional Drug Overdose Counts report, the U.S. continues to lead the world in overdose fatalities, with more than 100,000 deaths recorded in 2023.
This marks the third consecutive year the U.S. surpassed this milestone. The data, based on estimates from the National Vital Statistics System, is provisional and subject to revisions as some states report delayed death certificates, potentially underestimating actual death counts, according to the CDC.
The report highlights the trend of increasing drug-related deaths, including from fentanyl, counterfeit pills and polysubstance abuse. While the U.S. maintains the highest overdose rate globally, other countries are seeing improvements. For example, Portugal has implemented strategies with a focus on harm reduction and medication-assisted treatment. Eleven percent of Americans with opioid use disorder received opioid substitution therapy, compared to 87% in France and 86% in Norway.
In the U.S., overdose deaths occurred at a rate of 324 per 1 million people in 2022. Puerto Rico (246), Scotland (219), Canada (193) and Wales (102) were next on the list.