Heroin Abuse Statistics in the United States 

Heroin abuse is a significant public health issue in the United States. Let’s explore the key statistics and trends related to heroin use in the country.

Key Takeaways: 

• In 2023, 660,000 Americans reported abusing heroin.
• Lifetime heroin use in the U.S. slightly declined from 6,558 people in 2022 to 6,210 in 2023.
• Past year heroin use in the U.S. decreased from 104,900 in 2022 to 660,000 in 2023.
• In 2023, 587,000 people aged 12 or older had a heroin use disorder, down from 900,000 in 2022.
• The percentage of those treated for heroin use in the U.S. increased from 9.8% in 2022 to 10.5% in 2023.
• Heroin overdose deaths in the U.S. peaked at 15,469 in 2016 but fell to 5,871 by 2022. The rate dropped to 1.8 per 100,000 in 2022.
• In Ohio, heroin-related deaths decreased significantly from 1,444 in 2016 to 90 in 2022.
• In Wisconsin, heroin-related deaths dropped from 281 in 2015 to 127 in 2022, representing 6.9% of all drug deaths.
• In New York, the rate of heroin-related deaths fell by 19.7% from 2020 to 2021, with Bronx County having the highest rate at 14.8 per 100,000.

General Insights 

Here are some general insights about heroin abuse in the U.S.: 

• According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 3.1% of individuals aged 12 or older (or 8.9 million people) in the United States engaged in opioid misuse in 2023. Out of those 8.9 million, 660,000 individuals abused heroin. 
• According to a 2023 SAMHSA survey, around 6,210 Americans (aged 12 or older) reported trying heroin at least once in their life. This was a slight decrease from 2022 when 6,558 reported using heroin. Here’s how many people reported heroin abuse in the past year and month:

• In 2023, 18,000 children (aged 12 to 17) in America reported trying heroin at least one time in their lives, according to SAMHSA. This is an increase from 10,000 children in 2022. Here is how many children reported heroin misuse in the past year and month:

• In 2023, an estimated 224,000 young adults in America (aged 18 to 25) reported having used heroin at least once in their lives. This is an increase from 218,000 individuals in 2022. Here’s a breakdown of past-year and past-month heroin use by young adults:

• In 2023, 587,000 individuals (aged 12 or older) in the United States reported having heroin use disorder. This is a notable decrease from 900,000 individuals in 2022. 

• In 2022, among people (aged 12 or above) who received inpatient addiction treatment in the United States, 9.8% were treated for heroin use. This percentage increased to 10.5% in 2023. 

• Data from the National Alliance on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that drug overdose deaths involving heroin saw a significant rise in the United States, rising from 3,036 deaths in 2010 to 15,469 in 2016. 
• After peaking in 2016, heroin-related overdose deaths in the U.S. began to decline, with reported cases falling to 13,165 in 2020, 9,173 in 2021, and 5,871 in 2022.
• Between 2010 and 2022, the percentage of heroin overdose deaths that also involved fentanyl surged dramatically, reaching nearly 80% by 2022.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the age-adjusted rate of heroin overdose deaths fell significantly by 35.7%, dropping from 2.8 in 2021 to 1.8 in 2022. 
• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, heroin overdose deaths have seen a 2.5-fold increase between December 1999 and June 2023.
• According to the U.S. State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC), Ohio had the highest heroin-associated death rate of all states in 2015, at 13.3 deaths per 100,000 population. This is a substantial increase from the rate of 0.7 deaths in 2000. 

Heroin Abuse Statistics in the United States by State

Here are some heroin abuse statistics for specific states in the U.S.: 

Wisconsin 

• Between 2015 and 2022, Wisconsin witnessed 2,243 deaths because of a heroin overdose. Heroin overdose deaths saw an overall decrease from 281 deaths in 2015 to 127 deaths in 2022, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. 
• In 2022, heroin-related deaths made up 6.9% of all drug overdose deaths in Wisconsin, with 127 deaths out of 1,828 total drug deaths. This is a substantial decrease from the all-time high of 35.9% of heroin deaths in 2016.

• Wisconsin’s overall death rate attributed to heroin overdose was 4.8 per 100,000 residents between 2015 and 2022. 
• The Southeastern region of Wisconsin had the highest heroin-related drug death rate in the state, with 8.6 per 100,000 (or 1,458 deaths) between 2014 and 2021. 
• 73.7% of Winsconsin’s heroin-related drug death victims were male, with 1,653 deaths between 2014 and 2021. 26.3% were female, with 590 deaths in the same time period. 
• Between 2014 and 2021, White individuals made up 83.2% of all heroin-related drug deaths in the state, with 1,886 fatalities. Black individuals made up 12.8% of heroin deaths in the same period. 
• Between 2014 and 2021, individuals aged between 18 to 44 represented 67.6% of all heroin-related deaths in Wisconsin. 

Ohio 

• Between 2020 and 2021, heroin-related drug deaths decreased by 48% in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Health. 
• Between 2021 and 2022, unintentional drug overdose deaths saw the most significant decline in cases involving heroin, with a 43% reduction. 
• In 2021, heroin played a role in 3% of accidental drug overdose fatalities in Ohio. 
• Between 2016 and 2022, the involvement of heroin in accidental drug overdose deaths decreased significantly, from 1,444 deaths in 2016 to 90 deaths in 2022.

• In 2021 and 2022, individuals aged 35 to 44 had the highest number of heroin-related unintentional overdose deaths in Ohio.

New York 

• In New York, the 2021 crude rate of overdoses due to heroin dropped by 19.7% compared to 2020.
• Among New York counties with at least 20 heroin-related overdose deaths in 2021, Bronx County reported the highest crude rate, with 14.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. 
• From 2018 to 2021, the rate of heroin-related overdose deaths in New York City for individuals aged 25-44 increased by 19.0%, rising from 7.9 to 9.4 per 100,000 residents.
• During the same period, the rate for those aged 25-44 in New York State, excluding New York City, decreased significantly by 59.0%, from 15.6 to 6.4 deaths per 100,000.
• In 2021, individuals aged 45 or older in New York City had the most heroin-related overdose deaths of any age category, with 13.5 deaths per 100,000 population.
• In 2021, the highest rates of heroin-related overdose deaths in New York were reported among males (8.3 per 100,000), Black individuals (8.3 per 100,000), and Hispanic people (8.0 per 100,000).
• In New York State, the total number of hospital discharges related to heroin overdoses decreased slightly from 1,143 in 2020 (5.8 per 100,000) to 1,111 in 2021 (5.7 per 100,000).

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many People in New Jersey Abuse Heroin?

In 2019, heroin addiction accounted for 42% of all substance abuse treatment admissions in New Jersey, with 41,854 residents seeking help. Also, check out our post called New Jersey Addiction Research 2024: Abuse Facts, Overdose Rates, and Rehabilitation Statistics.

Which U.S. City Uses the Most Heroin?

According to American Addiction Centers, Omaha and Indianapolis have the highest heroin abuse rates in the U.S.

What Is the Heroin Abuse Rate in the U.S.?

In 2021, around 0.4% of Americans (or 1.1 million people) reported using heroin in the past year. 

Data Sources 

1. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates#Fig5
2. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db491.htm
3. https://www.hhs.gov/overdose-prevention/
4. https://www.shadac.org/opioid-epidemic-united-states
5. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH%202023%20Annual%20Release/2023-nsduh-main-highlights.pdf
6. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt47100/NSDUHDetailedTabs2023/NSDUHDetailedTabs2023/2023-nsduh-detailed-tables-sect1pe.htm
7. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt47100/NSDUHDetailedTabs2023/NSDUHDetailedTabs2023/2023-nsduh-detailed-tables-sect5pe.htm
8. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/aoda/drug-overdose-deaths.htm
9. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/sapb/CDPH%20Document%20Library/MortalityDataBriefFinalADA.pdf
10. https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/21959-california-opioid-summary_0.pdf
11. https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/86452388-2e4b-48d6-a5e8-90ce24b30d0f/Ohio+Quarterly+Overdose+Report_Preliminary+Data_Q1_2023.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-86452388-2e4b-48d6-a5e8-90ce24b30d0f-otRHmeH
12. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/heroin-epidemic
13. https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/dea64cca-767c-4495-a75c-61b6f9d0f8fa/2022+Unintentional+Drug+Overdose+Annual+Report.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_K9I401S01H7F40QBNJU3SO1F56-dea64cca-767c-4495-a75c-61b6f9d0f8fa-oNOoofn
14. https://www.dshs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/chs/data/Opioid%20Polysubstance%20Overdose%20Deaths%20Report_Final.pdf
15. https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Health/Info_to_Post/Opioid_Use_in_Travis_County__APH_.pdf
16. https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/21987-texas-opioid-summary.pdf
17. https://www.lakeviewhealth.com/addiction-resources/out-of-state-rehab/new-york-substance-abuse-statistics/
18. https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/opioid/data/pdf/nys_opioid_annual_report_2023.pdf
19. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/epi/databrief63.pdf
20. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/heroin/scope-heroin-use-in-united-states