Stimulant Overdose Deaths Are Rising: Cocaine and Meth Statistics

Stimulants Are the New Front Line of the Overdose Crisis

For years, opioids dominated headlines about drug overdose deaths. That shifted in June 2025, when stimulants surpassed opioids as the underlying cause of death on U.S. death certificates for the first time. This milestone signals a change in the overdose crisis that demands attention.

Cocaine-involved overdose deaths rose from 6,784 in 2015 to 29,449 in 2023. Psychostimulant deaths, driven primarily by methamphetamine, climbed from 5,716 to 34,855 over the same period. The rate of meth-related deaths nearly tripled between 2018 and 2023.

The Numbers at a Glance

Stimulants surpassed opioids as the leading overdose cause on U.S. death certificates in June 2025
Cocaine deaths reached 29,449 in 2023, up from 6,784 in 2015
Methamphetamine deaths hit 34,855 in 2023
73% of stimulant overdose deaths between 2021 and 2024 also involved opioids
First-half 2025 data shows 8,951 meth-alone deaths and 7,519 cocaine-alone deaths

The Opioid Connection Makes Things Worse

Stimulant deaths do not happen in isolation. Between January 2021 and June 2024, 73% of all stimulant-involved overdose deaths also involved opioids. For cocaine specifically, 79.1% of deaths co-involved opioids. For methamphetamine, the figure was 68.8%.

This polysubstance pattern makes overdose prevention harder. A person using cocaine or meth purchased on the street faces the added risk of fentanyl contamination. This combination is particularly lethal because stimulants and opioids affect the body through different mechanisms.

“The fourth wave of the drug epidemic is defined by polysubstance use. Treating one substance in isolation is no longer sufficient.” — CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2024

Recent Trends Show a Mixed Picture

Provisional CDC data for 2024 showed an overall decrease in drug overdose deaths. The estimated total dropped to 80,391 fatalities, a 26.9% decrease from 2023’s 110,037 deaths.

Cocaine-involved deaths fell from 30,833 in 2023 to 22,174 in 2024. Methamphetamine-involved deaths dropped from 37,096 to 29,456. These decreases are significant.

The first half of 2025, though, tells a different story for stimulant-alone deaths. During January through June 2025, 26.2% of all overdose deaths involved stimulants alone. Methamphetamine alone caused 8,951 deaths. Cocaine alone caused 7,519. These stimulant-only fatalities are increasing even as overall numbers decline.

Why Stimulant-Only Deaths Are Increasing

Several factors contribute to this trend.

No FDA-approved medication: There is no medication specifically approved to treat stimulant use disorder, unlike opioid use disorder where buprenorphine and methadone exist
Higher purity: Methamphetamine purity has increased while prices have dropped, making it more accessible and more dangerous
Cardiovascular damage: Chronic stimulant use weakens the heart. Sudden cardiac events account for many stimulant-alone deaths
Treatment gaps: Stimulant use disorder treatment programs are less common and less funded than opioid programs

Treatment Options That Work

While no specific medication treats stimulant addiction, behavioral therapies show strong results. Contingency management, which provides incentives for staying substance-free, has the strongest evidence base. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people identify and change patterns that lead to use.

Residential treatment programs address stimulant addiction through structured environments, group therapy, and life skills training. Many programs now integrate treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, which are common among people who use stimulants.

Your Next Step Matters

If you or someone you love is using cocaine, methamphetamine, or any stimulant, treatment works. Contact a treatment center that offers evidence-based behavioral therapy for stimulant use disorder. The rising death toll makes waiting a risk you do not need to take.