Heroin Overdose Statistics

Written by: Editorial Staff

Last updated on May 11, 2021

All over the world, millions of people smoke, snort or inject heroin into their veins. And while some people walk away from their “heroin experience” relatively unscathed, far too many die as a result of heroin overdoses. The following statistics will open your eyes about the seriousness of the heroin overdose problem, especially in the United States where it impacts the lives of men and women from all demographics. Indeed, if there is anything to be learned from the information below it is that heroin is a drug that does not discriminate.

Heroin Addiction and Overdose Statistics

The following represents a snapshot of the most current statistics available concern heroin addictions and heroin overdose.

• In England in 2008, there were 897 overdose deaths that involved heroin. That figure was up dramatically (11%) from the previous year.
• Around the world, men and women over the age of 35 have seen their heroin overdose rates grow by double-digits in each of the past two years.
• Over 3.5 million people in the United States (over the age of 12) report having a heroin experience at least once in their lives.
• Heroin overdose played a role in over 164,000 emergency room visits in 2006 across the United States.
• The average heroin addict now spends between $150 – $200 per day to support his or her drug habit.
• Men are slightly more likely to develop a heroin addiction than women.
• Heroin and morphine accounted for 51% of all drug overdose deaths in the United States in the year 1999. That number has fallen in recent years but the rate remains significant.

The above information should be a wake-up call for families around the country that if heroin has not already touched your life in some way, it soon may.

If Someone You Love has an Addiction to heroin

If you have a loved one who is doing heroin and is unable to stop, reaching out to help that individual is of the utmost importance. Don’t wait for it to turn into something deadly. Talk to the individual about their drug addiction – letting them know that you are there to support them. If talking doesn’t work, then move on to an intervention. A drug intervention for heroin addiction is often the only way that an individual can see – with clarity – how their heroin drug addiction is impacting the lives of those around them.