Health

How many overdose deaths involve fentanyl and similar drugs?

34,523 overdose deaths in the US in the 12 months ending April 2026 involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, mostly illegally made fentanyl. That is less than half the peak of about 77,700 in mid-2023. A death can involve more than one drug. The counts are provisional, and the latest months are slightly undercounted while investigations finish. CDC's provisional counts start with the 12 months ending January 2015.

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Source and date

Data as of
Published

The data

12 months ending Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (mainly fentanyl) in the previous 12 months
Jan 2015 5,766
Feb 2015 6,079
Mar 2015 6,390
Apr 2015 6,868
May 2015 7,254
Jun 2015 7,551
Jul 2015 7,890
Aug 2015 8,216
Sep 2015 8,669
Oct 2015 9,101
Nov 2015 9,397
Dec 2015 9,610
Jan 2016 9,946
Feb 2016 10,585
Mar 2016 11,351
Apr 2016 12,048
May 2016 12,802
Jun 2016 13,562
Jul 2016 14,417
Aug 2016 15,256
Sep 2016 16,111
Oct 2016 17,027
Nov 2016 18,171
Dec 2016 19,500
Jan 2017 20,932
Feb 2017 21,844
Mar 2017 22,671
Apr 2017 23,371
May 2017 24,168
Jun 2017 25,062
Jul 2017 25,748
Aug 2017 26,577
Sep 2017 27,358
Oct 2017 27,876
Nov 2017 28,281
Dec 2017 28,659
Jan 2018 28,731
Feb 2018 28,811
Mar 2018 29,120
Apr 2018 29,453
May 2018 29,777
Jun 2018 30,158
Jul 2018 30,575
Aug 2018 30,884
Sep 2018 30,991
Oct 2018 31,262
Nov 2018 31,426
Dec 2018 31,525
Jan 2019 31,585
Feb 2019 31,754
Mar 2019 32,019
Apr 2019 32,197
May 2019 32,402
Jun 2019 32,594
Jul 2019 33,035
Aug 2019 33,514
Sep 2019 34,057
Oct 2019 34,768
Nov 2019 35,677
Dec 2019 36,603
Jan 2020 37,579
Feb 2020 38,712
Mar 2020 40,006
Apr 2020 42,163
May 2020 45,438
Jun 2020 47,744
Jul 2020 49,794
Aug 2020 51,653
Sep 2020 53,243
Oct 2020 54,472
Nov 2020 55,672
Dec 2020 56,894
Jan 2021 58,908
Feb 2021 60,159
Mar 2021 62,195
Apr 2021 63,591
May 2021 63,642
Jun 2021 64,378
Jul 2021 65,305
Aug 2021 66,444
Sep 2021 67,716
Oct 2021 69,058
Nov 2021 70,049
Dec 2021 71,143
Jan 2022 71,570
Feb 2022 72,519
Mar 2022 72,614
Apr 2022 72,263
May 2022 72,155
Jun 2022 72,215
Jul 2022 72,536
Aug 2022 72,765
Sep 2022 72,843
Oct 2022 73,400
Nov 2022 74,012
Dec 2022 74,829
Jan 2023 75,390
Feb 2023 75,548
Mar 2023 75,993
Apr 2023 76,683
May 2023 77,375
Jun 2023 77,695
Jul 2023 77,693
Aug 2023 77,581
Sep 2023 77,201
Oct 2023 76,373
Nov 2023 75,367
Dec 2023 74,091
Jan 2024 72,718
Feb 2024 71,521
Mar 2024 69,626
Apr 2024 67,618
May 2024 65,374
Jun 2024 63,313
Jul 2024 60,783
Aug 2024 58,042
Sep 2024 55,391
Oct 2024 52,876
Nov 2024 50,725
Dec 2024 48,662
Jan 2025 47,043
Feb 2025 45,588
Mar 2025 44,643
Apr 2025 43,570
May 2025 42,534
Jun 2025 41,596
Jul 2025 41,001
Aug 2025 40,384
Sep 2025 40,022
Oct 2025 39,519
Nov 2025 39,053
Dec 2025 38,462
Jan 2026 37,683
Feb 2026 36,911
Mar 2026 35,603
Apr 2026 34,523