About this data measure

• Drug overdose is one of the leading causes of injury-related death in the United States. Particularly for overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl), the number of deaths has significantly increased in the past few years (Source: CDC)
• In 2022, there was a decrease in drug-related deaths in Rhode Island, decreasing from 41.0% to 38.3%, however, Rhode Island continues to remain above the national rate for this indicator.
• Rates of drug poisoning deaths are highest among males, Hispanic or Latino Rhode Islanders, and those between the ages of 35 and 54.
• The Governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force has focused on responding to the overdose crisis, and the task force’s website includes additional recent information and data.