U.S. cocaine-related deaths 1999-2022

In the past few years the number of deaths from cocaine overdose has risen in the United States, with almost 27,569 such deaths in 2022. Deaths involving cocaine are more common among males than females, with deaths among males more than double that of females in 2022. It is important to note that many overdose deaths involving cocaine also involve the use of other drugs, in particular opioids, which may contribute to death. 

Cocaine use

Cocaine is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States. As of 2022, over 42 million people had used cocaine in their lifetime, an increase from 36.7 million in 2009. Furthermore, almost 5.3 million people in the U.S. used cocaine in the past year as of 2022. 

Cocaine use among teens

The lifetime prevalence of cocaine use among high school students in the U.S. has decreased in recent years. As of 2022, around 1.1 percent of high school students stated they had used cocaine in their lifetime. Nevertheless, around 17.7 percent of high school students state that cocaine is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain.