Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Cocaine and Psychostimulants with Abuse Potential — United States, 2003–2017

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Kariisa, Mbabazi ; Scholl, Lawrence ; Wilson, Nana ; Seth, Puja ; Hoots, Brooke
• Description:
  In 2016, a total of 63,632 persons died from drug overdoses in the United States (1). Drug overdose deaths involving cocaine, psychostimulants with abuse potential (psychostimulants), or both substances combined increased 42.4% from 12,122 in 2015 to 17,258 in 2016.* Psychostimulants with abuse potential include drugs such as methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), dextroamphetamine, levoamphetamine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), and caffeine. From 2015 to 2016, cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved death rates increased 52.4% and 33.3%, respectively (1). A total of 70,237 persons died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2017; approximately two thirds of these deaths involved an opioid (2). CDC analyzed 2016-2017 changes in age-adjusted death rates involving cocaine and psychostimulants by demographic characteristics, urbanization levels, U.S. Census region, 34 states, and the District of Columbia (DC). CDC also examined Trends in age-adjusted cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved death rates from 2003 to 2017 overall, as well as with and without co-involvement of opioids. Among all 2017 drug overdose deaths, 13,942 (19.8%) involved cocaine, and 10,333 (14.7%) involved psychostimulants. Death rates increased from 2016 to 2017 for both drug categories across demographic characteristics, urbanization levels, Census regions, and states. In 2017, opioids were involved in 72.7% and 50.4% of cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved overdoses, respectively, and the data suggest that increases in cocaine-involved overdose deaths from 2012 to 2017 were driven primarily by synthetic opioids. Conversely, increases in psychostimulant-involved deaths from 2010 to 2017 occurred largely independent of opioids, with increased co-involvement of synthetic opioids in recent years. Provisional data from 2018 indicate that deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants are continuing to increase.| Increases in stimulant-involved deaths are part of a growing polysubstance landscape. Increased Surveillance and evidence-based multisectoral Prevention and response strategies are needed to address deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants and opioids. Enhancing linkage to care, building state and local capacity, and public health/public safety collaborations are critical components of Prevention efforts.
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Adult Aged Analgesics, Opioid Central Nervous System Stimulants Cocaine Drug Overdose Female Humans Male Middle Aged Racial Groups Urbanization Young Adult

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• Source:
  MMWR Morbidity Mortal Weekly Rep. 68(17):388-395
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6817a3
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Pubmed ID:
  31048676
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6541315
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• Pages in Document:
  8 pdf pages
• Volume:
  68
• Issue:
  17
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5097a75eab21a3b1121bb4b924b0183f681456db5005a7c966b3e3b60dbe854c337d2d4dbe128ba5b5ce18446c8f773cd50cd79e9bdcca04c47da94c8988d2b1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/78928/cdc_78928_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 186.63 KB ]