The Economic Toll of the Opioid Crisis Reached Nearly $1.5 Trillion in 2020
Summary/Excerpts
As a result of the pandemic, the U.S. health care system was disrupted, reducing access to substance abuse treatment and exacerbating social and economic stress that can worsen addiction. This contributed to a significant increase in the number of Americans diagnosed with opioid use disorder and in the number of fatal opioid overdoses.
Key Statistics
Joint Economic Committee estimates the opioid epidemic cost the United States nearly $1.5 trillion in 2020 alone—up 37% from 2017, when the CDC last measured the cost
Opioid cases increased during the coronavirus pandemic, costing the United States an estimated $1.5 trillion in 2020
The opioid crisis disproportionately hurts Black Americans and increases economic inequality
Coronavirus pandemic disruptions created new barriers for people diagnosed with opioid use disorder
Citation
Joint Economic Committee Democrats. (2022). The economic toll of the opioid crisis reached nearly $1.5 trillion in 2020. Retrieved from https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2022/9/the-economic-toll-of-the-opioid-crisis-reached-nearly-1-5-trillion-in-2020