SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – U.S. opioid-related deaths dramatically increased between 2015 and 2020, but which states have more opioid-related deaths than all others?
South Dakota developed the highest growth in opioid-related deaths when their state’s statistics rose by 355%.
Montana had a 311% increase.
Louisiana came in third on the list, with a 293% increase in opioid-related death statistics during the five-year period.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, opioid abuse is a problem in Louisiana where almost all indicators… addiction to opioid medications, overdose deaths, emergency room admissions and over-prescribing… are evidence of the problem.
Three states also decreased the number of opioid-related deaths during the same period. Those states were Oklahoma, Utah, and New Hampshire.
A nationwide rise in the number of opioid-related deaths seems to have been driven by a corresponding rise in synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
The opioid crisis has caused record levels of addictions and deaths, and efforts to curb the crisis often highlight public health and policy issues.
Indiana, Delaware, and New Jersey also saw a more than 200% increase in the number of people who died of opioid-related issues between 2015 and 2020.
A spokesperson for Whitley Law Firm, which conducted a study to determine which state had the largest rise in the number of opioid-related deaths, said that it’s crucial to adopt comprehensive strategies if we are, as a society, to address the growing epidemic known as opioid addiction.
Whitley Law Firm promotes the expansion of access to addiction treatment, the implementation of robust prevention programs, and enhancing harm reduction efforts like naloxone distribution.
The firm used data from Center for Disease Control and Prevention in their study. They used data about deaths between 2015 and 2020.
Check out the following list to find out where your state ranks on the list:
| Rank | State | % increase in opioid-related deaths (2015-2020) |
| 1 | South Dakota | 355% |
| 2 | Montana | 311% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 293% |
| 4 | Indiana | 268% |
| 5 | Delaware | 214% |
| 6 | New Jersey | 203% |
| 7 | Mississippi | 196% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 193% |
| 9 | North Dakota | 187% |
| 10 | Florida | 180% |
| 11 | Arizona | 171% |
| 12 | California | 168% |
| 13 | Illinois | 165% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 160% |
| 15 | Virginia | 146% |
| 16 | Tennessee | 137% |
| 17 | Vermont | 136% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 133% |
| 19 | North Carolina | 128% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 125% |
| 21 | New York | 121% |
| 22 | Alabama | 116% |
| 23 | Nebraska | 109% |
| 24 | Maryland | 106% |
| 25 | Colorado | 98% |
| 26 | Connecticut | 92% |
| 27 | Missouri | 91% |
| 28 | West Virginia | 89% |
| 29(=) | Kentucky | 88% |
| Wyoming | ||
| 31 | Idaho | 83% |
| 32 | New Mexico | 76% |
| 33(=) | Michigan | 68% |
| Kansas | ||
| 35 | Texas | 64% |
| 36 | Maine | 61% |
| 37 | Oregon | 59% |
| 38 | Georgia | 58% |
| 39 | Washington | 55% |
| 40 | Ohio | 37% |
| 41 | Arkansas | 35% |
| 42 | Iowa | 34% |
| 43 | Alaska | 33% |
| 44 | Nevada | 23% |
| 45 | Hawaii | 11% |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 6% |
| 47 | Rhode Island | 4% |
| 48 | New Hampshire | -21% |
| 49 | Utah | -22% |
| 50 | Oklahoma | -27% |
If you or someone you know has an opioid addiction, visit the state of Louisiana’s opioid help website.