Stimulant Use Rises as Drug Overdose Epidemic Rages On

The U.S. is facing an ever-growing drug overdose epidemic. The types of drugs involved in nonfatal drug overdoses treated in the emergency department (ED) change constantly, and surveillance efforts are helpful in guiding clinical care and public health interventions.

The CDC analyzed syndromic surveillance data from 29 states to determine changes in rates of suspected nonfatal drug and polydrug overdoses treated in EDs from 2018 to 2019. During this period, the rate of suspected nonfatal overdoses involving opioids increased by 10%, cocaine by 11%, and amphetamines by 18%, whereas those involving benzodiazepines decreased by 3%. There was a 37% increase in polydrug overdoses involving both opioids and amphetamines. In 2019, opioids were inv…