Drug overdose deaths in the United States reached a record high of over 96,000 in the 12-month period ending March 2021, suggest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention′s National Center for Health Statistics.

In the 12-month period, 96,779 drug overdose deaths were reported in the country, translating to a spike of 29.6% from March 2020 to March 2021. The CDC stated that these figures represent provisional data. The estimate for predicted deaths, accounting for delayed reporting, was more than 99,000 from March last year to March of this year. 

Three states reported a decrease in drug overdose deaths from March 2020 to March 2021. These include New Hampshire, New Jersey and South Dakota. Vermont reported the largest rise in overdose deaths among the states… (CNN, October 13, 2021)