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Confronting the opioid crisis in the United States

In 2016, more Americans died due to opioid overdoses than car crashes. From cities and suburbs to rural America, opioid addiction and overdose is the crisis next door. This website illustrates both the magnitude of the opioid crisis and actions the Trump Administration is taking to address it.

Click to jumpt to the next section, Crisis.

The Crisis

Drug overdose deaths are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States. The Trump Administration is addressing both drug supply and drug demand to reduce opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose.

Deaths in 2016...

A vertical bar chart showing the total number of opioid overdoses as compared to the total number of drug overdoses.

63,632

45 140
Drug Overdoses
Drug
Overdoses
(Opioid Overdoses)
A verical bar chart showing the total number of breast cancer deaths, 41,952.
132
breastcancerdeaths_iconA vertical bar chart indicating that the number of breast cancer deaths is smaller than the number of opioid deaths
Breast
Cancer
related deaths
A vertical bar chart showing the total number of vehicle deaths, 38,738.
120
vehicledeaths_iconA vertical bar charting indicating the number of vehicles deaths is lower than the number of Opioid deaths.
Motor
Vehicles
related deaths
Source: CDC

Number of people 12 years and older who have misused prescription opioids or heroin...

11.8 million
In the past year
Source: SAMHSA
2.3 million
For the first time in the past year
Source: SAMHSA
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Preventing Addiction Through Safer Prescribing

Over-prescribing of opioids has contributed to rising rates of opioid addiction and overdoses. In coordination with health care providers and patients, the Trump Administration is working to drive down both the number and strength of opioid prescriptions and advance evidence-based pain care.

731.2
Opioid prescriptions per 1,000 people nationwide
Source: HHS
  • Over 820
  • 820 to 659
  • 658 to 600
  • Below 600
United States Map United States map showing the number of opioid prescriptions per 1,000 people nationwide for each state. HAWAII 429.8 ALASKA 549.9 FLORIDA 608.4 SOUTH CAROLINA 864.9 GEORGIA 755.7 NORTH CAROLINA 817.4 TENNESSEE 1,111.8 RHODE ISLAND 626 CONNECTICUT 578.3 MASSACHUSETTS 527 MAINE 657.5 NEW HAMPSHIRE 579.6 VERMONT 562.1 NEW YORK 485.3 NEW JERSEY 516.4 DELAWARE 757 MARYLAND 610.3 MICHIGAN 897.1 OHIO 785.7 PENNSYLVANIA 750.8 MONTANA 659.7 WASHINGTON 634.8 TEXAS 554.8 CALIFORNIA 446.9 OREGON 712.7 IDAHO 720.6 WYOMING 641 NEVADA 776.1 ARIZONA 659.7 UTAH 691.8 COLORADO 579.8 NEW MEXICO 628.5 IOWA 636.2 ALABAMA 1,157.6 VIRGINIA 626.4 WISCONSIN 636 MINNESOTA 490.1 NORTH DAKOTA 587.2 SOUTH DAKOTA 640.2 NEBRASKA 698 KANSAS 828.2 LOUISIANA 1,007.6 MISSISSIPPI 1,034.9 ARKANSAS 1,084.1 ILLINOIS 601.4 MISSOURI 816.3 KENTUCKY 944.8 WEST VIRGINIA 968.1 INDIANA 837.3 OKLAHOMA 962.9 D.C. 624
Source: HHS
883.54
Average total dose per prescription*
(higher dosage leads to higher risk for misuse)
*Dose expressed in morphine milligram equivalent (MME)
Source: HHS
912,305
pounds of drugs collected
At the Fall 2017 National Take Back Day
Source: DEA
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Stopping the Flow of Illicit Opioids

Illicit opioids – including fentanyl – have flooded into our country through ports, shipments, and border crossings. The Trump Administration is working to increase the seizure of illicit opioids and reduce the illicit drug supply.

Siezure Air Icon

Air*

Siezure Border Icon

Borders

Siezure Sea Icon

Sea

Horizontal bar chart showing the number of air, border, and sea opioid drug seizures in fiscal year 2017.

Seizures in FY2017

51% 24% 5%
2,975
Horizontal bar chart showing the number of air, border, and sea opioid drug seizures in fiscal year 2016.

Seizures in FY2016

25% 18% 3%
1,847
Horizontal bar chart showing the number of air, border, and sea opioid drug seizures in fiscal year 2015.

Seizures in FY2015

20% 19% 2%
1,684

*Including Mail & Express Consignment

Source: CBP
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Saving Lives

Barriers to evidence-based addiction treatment have prevented too many Americans from receiving the help they need to get and stay in recovery. From providing overdose-reversing drugs to first responders to increasing access to drug addiction treatment, the Trump Administration is working to save the lives of those suffering with addiction.

Overdose Rescue

Overdose Rescue Icon

244,588

Attempts

Number of overdose reversal attempts made with naloxone, a medication to reverse an opioid overdose, by emergency medical services personnel

Source: DOT

Treating Addiction

Treating Addiction Icon

691,000

People

People with an opioid use disorder receiving any addiction treatment

Source: SAMHSA

Access to Care

Access to Care Icon

44,735

Practitioners

Health care practitioners that have a special registration from the federal government to prescribe buprenorphine, a medicine for treating opioid addiction

Source: SAMHSA
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Veterans

Through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Trump Administration is working to prevent opioid misuse and provide high-quality treatment to veterans suffering from addiction.

Prevention

90.3%

Opioid prescriptions provided to veterans that are for an immediate release (lower risk) opioid rather than extended release (higher risk).
Source: VA

Treatment

35%

Veterans who are diagnosed with an opioid use disorder who are receiving medication-assisted treatment. In fiscal year 2016, this was 34%.
Source: VA
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Stay Updated

Learn more about the Trump Administration's efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

WhiteHouse.gov/Opioids