Opioid Deaths In Massachusetts Increased In 2021

MASSACHUSETTS — The rate of deaths from opioid-related overdoses increased in 2021 by 8.8 percent from 2020, preliminary data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) shows.

All told, Massachusetts had 2,290 confirmed and estimated opioid-related overdose deaths last year, 185 more deaths than in 2020. The first three months of 2022 seem to be trending downward, with early numbers showing a 4 percent decrease from the same period in 2021.

Of the deaths where toxicology reports were available, the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl was present at a rate of 93 percent, early DPH data from 2021 shows.

Fentanyl is often either added to heroin or disguised as heroin, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Fentanyl is up to 50 times stronger than heroin, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, so the common misrepresentation can be deadly.

The rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts is still trending lower than the U.S. overall. Nationwide, 2021 saw a nearly 15 percent increase from 2020, according to preliminary CDC data.

The mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to an increase in substance use across Massachusetts. The state saw a rise in poor mental health and substance use since the pandemic began, according to an early analysis of DPH's COVID-19 Community Impact Survey.

The CDC recommends carrying a naloxone nasal spray or auto-injector as a life-saving measure for those overdosing. The medication quickly reverses an overdose and can restore normal breathing within 2 to 3 minutes. It's as easy to carry as an EpiPen.

If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid use disorder, visit findtreatment.gov or call 1-800-622-HELP (4357) for help finding a treatment center nearby.