CDC Publications

Drug Overdose Deaths involving Cocaine and Psychostimulants with Abuse Potential – United States, 2003-2017

This report analyzes the impact and demographic variation of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants, showing death rates have increased across age groups, racial/ethnic groups, county urbanization levels, census regions, and multiple states. Death rates involving cocaine and psychostimulants with and without opioids have increased. Synthetic opioids appear to be the primary driver of cocaine-involved death rate increases, and recent data point to increasing synthetic opioid involvement in psychostimulant-involved deaths. Increases in deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants with and without opioids in recent years illustrates the growing complexity of America’s current overdose crisis.