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Social Issues
Jon Collins

Drug overdose deaths reach record levels in 2021

A person holds a dose of naloxone.
A person holds a dose of naloxone, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses in south Minneapolis.
Evan Frost | MPR News 2018

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The number of Minnesotans who died of drug overdoses last year increased by more than 20 percent.

Statistics released by the Minnesota Department of Health show that at least 1,286 people in the state died of overdoses. Most of the fatal overdoses were caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which saw a 32 percent increase over 2020.

About 450 other deaths were caused by methamphetamine overdoses and 151 deaths were caused by cocaine overdoses.

Minnesota's numbers mirror drug overdose deaths across the country as fentanyl has been combined with other drugs like cocaine.

“This increase in drug overdose deaths is alarming, but there are things we can do about it,” said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm.

State health officials recommend that programs should make it easier for people to get naloxone, the medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. They also recommend that people access fentanyl test strips to ensure drugs they're using aren't contaminated.