107,735 Americans died between August 2021 and August 2022 from drug poisonings

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the American public of a sharp increase in the trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine. Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a powerful sedative that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for veterinary use.

“Xylazine is making the deadliest drug threat our country has every faced, fentanyl, even deadlier,” said Administrator Milgram. “DEA has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 States. The DEA Laboratory System is reporting that in 2022 approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine.”

Xylazine and fentanyl drug mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. Because xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone (Narcan) does not reverse its effects. Still, experts always recommend administering naloxone if someone might be suffering a drug poisoning. People who inject drug mixtures containing xylazine also can develop severe wounds, including necrosis—the rotting of human tissue—that may lead to amputation.

According to the CDC, 107,735 Americans died between August 2021 and August 2022 from drug poisonings, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel in Mexico, using chemicals largely sourced from China, are primarily responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in communities across the United States.

Worldwide

It is estimated that 5.5 percent of the global population between the ages of 15 and 64 years used an illicit drug in 2018. That represents an increase since 1990. The magnitude of the drug problem in Europe becomes more apparent when considering the rate of problem drug use in individual countries; The highest problem drug use was in Czechia with 12.1 individuals per 1,000 recognized as a problem drug user, suffering from drug use disorders or drug dependence.

The use and abuse of illegal drugs remains a problem in many parts of the world, with an estimated 5.5 percent of the global population using illegal drugs. The problem of illegal drug use and abuse varies from country to country as different countries practice different drug laws, enforce different penalties for breaking these laws, experience varying drug availability, and possess unique cultural perspectives on such substances. The United States in particular has had an interesting and extensive history around drug use, even going so far as to fight a “War on Drugs”.

What are the most used illicit drugs in the United States?

The most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States are marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. As of 2020, around 126 million people in the United States had used marijuana at some point in their lifetime, while 39 million had used cocaine and 28 million LSD. The number of people who stated they had used cocaine in their lifetime has fluctuated over the past decade, but has not seen any significant changes. On the other hand, the number of people who have used heroin in their lifetime has increased in the past few years with 6.3 million in 2020, compared to 5.1 million in 2018. As of 2020, it was estimated that over half a million people in the United States were dependent on or abused heroin.

Drug use among teens

The most commonly used illicit drugs among U.S. students in grades 8, 10, and 12 are marijuana, inhalants, and LSD and other hallucinogens. As of 2021, around 23 percent of these students reported they had used marijuana in their lifetime, while only 1.4 percent had used cocaine. However, the lifetime prevalence of any illicit drug use for teens has decreased significantly over the past two decades. In 2021, just 27 percent of those in grades 8, 10, and 12 reported using an illicit drug in their lifetime, compared to 41 percent in the year 2001. The availability of certain drugs for teens has also decreased in recent years with only 17 percent of 12th graders saying it was “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get cocaine in 2021, compared with 46 percent in 2001.

How many people die from drugs in the United States?

The death rate from drug overdose in the United States has increased significantly over the past decade. This increase in drug overdose deaths is mostly due to opioids such as prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. This increase in overdose deaths due to opioids is referrred to as the opioid epidemic. In 2020, around 91,800 people in the United States died from a drug overdose, with men accounting for around 69 percent of these deaths. The states with the highest death rates from drug overdose are West Virginia, Kentucky, and Delaware.