https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6817a3.htm

Comment; Unsurprisingly, we’re seeing more psychostimulant deaths–often with concomittant opioid abuse. Opioids are more dangerous due to respiratory depression, stimulants decrease inhibition leading to more dangerous behaviors.

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Overdose deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants continue to increase. During 2015–2016, age-adjusted cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved death rates increased by 52.4% and 33.3%, respectively.

What is added by this report?

From 2016 to 2017, death rates involving cocaine and psychostimulants increased across age groups, racial/ethnic groups, county urbanization levels, and multiple states. Death rates involving cocaine and psychostimulants, with and without opioids, have increased. Synthetic opioids appear to be the primary driver of cocaine-involved death rate increases, and recent data point to increasing synthetic opioid involvement in psychostimulant-involved deaths.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Continued increases in stimulant-involved deaths require expanded surveillance and comprehensive, evidence-based public health and public safety interventions.

Dr. Raymond Oenbrink