1999 to 2021 Saw Rise in Methamphetamine-Related Mortality
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2025 -- From 1999 to 2021, methamphetamine-related mortality surged dramatically, with a significant rise in heroin and synthetic opioid coinvolvement, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Tonazzina H. Sauda, M.B.B.S., from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and colleagues examined sex-specific trends in methamphetamine-related mortality and the extent to which these deaths may be driven by heroin and fentanyl coinvolvement. The analysis included data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Causes of Death database (1999 to 2021).
The researchers found that over time, the methamphetamine-related mortality rate increased 58.8-fold among males (0.33 per 100,000 to 19.74 per 100,000) and 65.3-fold among females (0.12 per 100,000 to 7.96 per 100,000). The greatest increases occurred between 2019 and 2021. The proportion of deaths that coinvolved heroin and/or synthetic opioids increased from 1999 to 2021 among both sexes (males: 13.1 to 61.5 percent; females: 7.7 to 63.1 percent).
"Increasing methamphetamine-related mortality among males and females has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in the proportion of heroin and/or synthetic opioid coinvolvement among both sexes," the authors write. "Robust harm reduction efforts are needed to mitigate these increases, particularly for people who co-use stimulants and opioids."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Most People With Cannabis Use Disorder Remain Untreated
MONDAY, June 9, 2025 -- Most individuals in the United States with cannabis use disorder (CUD) do not receive treatment, according to a study published online May 19...
2021 to 2023 Saw Rise in Cannabis Use by Older Adults
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- From 2021 to 2023, the prevalence of current cannabis use increased among older U.S. adults, according to a research letter published online June 2...
Chronic Cannabis Smoking, THC Ingestion Linked to Endothelial Dysfunction
TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 -- Chronic cannabis smoking and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) ingestion are associated with endothelial dysfunction, according to a study published online May...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.