Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office Confirms Record 2,000 Opioid Overdose Deaths in Cook County for 2022
Overwhelming majority of cases involve fentanyl
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed 2,000 opioid overdose deaths for 2022, breaking the previous record of 1,935 set in 2021. More than 91% of opioid overdose deaths involved fentanyl. Fentanyl is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Approximately 78% of the opioid overdose deaths are male. African Americans make up 56% of the deaths, Latinos account for just under 15% and whites constitute 29% of the deaths. Just over 70% of the overdose deaths were in Chicago.
|
Year |
Total Opioid Overdose Deaths |
Fentanyl-Related |
|
2022 |
2,000 |
1,825 |
|
2021 |
1,935 |
1,721 |
|
2020 |
1,846 |
1,533 |
|
2019 |
1,295 |
961 |
|
2018 |
1,170 |
847 |
|
2017 |
1,195 |
669 |
|
2016 |
1,126 |
560 |
|
2015 |
676 |
103 |
The age group most impacted is 50- to 59-year-olds, accounting for 27% of the overdose deaths. The year’s youngest opioid overdose death in Cook County was a 12-year-old boy from Chicago; the oldest was an 84-year-old woman from Chicago.
|
Age |
Opioid Overdose Deaths |
|
0 – 9 |
0 |
|
10 – 19 |
24 |
|
20 – 29 |
230 |
|
30 – 39 |
398 |
|
40 – 49 |
389 |
|
50 – 59 |
538 |
|
60 – 69 |
353 |
|
70 – 79 |
64 |
|
80 + |
4 |
Much of the statistics for 2023 are not yet available because the Office is awaiting toxicology results for pending cases. To access additional data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, please visit the case archive.