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Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Stimulants - United States, January 2018-June 2024
Lauren J Tanz1, Kimberly D Miller1, Amanda T Dinwiddie1
1Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC.
MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Stimulant overdose deaths are rising, particularly among older adults and specific racial/ethnic groups. This highlights an urgent need for expanded stimulant use disorder treatments and tailored prevention efforts.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Substance Use Disorders
Background:
- Drug overdose deaths involving stimulants have significantly increased in the United States since 2011.
- Stimulant involvement is a growing concern in the ongoing overdose crisis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the characteristics of stimulant-involved overdose deaths.
- To analyze trends in stimulant-involved overdose deaths by drug type and race/ethnicity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the CDC's State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) for January 2021-June 2024.
- Analyzed data from the CDC's National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) for 2018-2023 to examine trends.
Main Results:
- From January 2021 to June 2024, 59.0% of overdose deaths involved stimulants.
- Deaths involving stimulants without opioids were more common in older adults (≥45 years) with cardiovascular disease history.
- Stimulant overdose death rates increased significantly from 2018 to 2023, with notable rises in cocaine and psychostimulant deaths, especially among specific racial and ethnic minority groups.
Conclusions:
- The rise in stimulant-involved overdose deaths necessitates expanded access to evidence-based treatments for stimulant use disorder.
- There is a need to evaluate medication-based treatments and interventions for co-occurring substance use disorders.
- Prevention efforts must engage individuals who use stimulants and may be overlooked by opioid-focused initiatives.
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