Updated Drug and Alcohol Statistics for Delaware

Delaware’s patterns of drug and alcohol use have shifted rapidly in recent years, illustrating how substance misuse can take on new forms while continuing to impact diverse communities. Understanding the current statistics is crucial for health professionals, local stakeholders, and anyone looking to grasp the scale and nature of addiction challenges in the state.

Over the past two decades, Delaware has faced rising overdose mortality rates, expanding stimulant use, and persistent alcohol misuse. More recent data highlights changes in the opioid supply, emerging polysubstance trends, and demographic differences. The following sections present updated figures on drugs and alcohol in Delaware, offering a data-driven snapshot of key issues.

Noteworthy Delaware Substance Use Statistics

Below are several highly cited facts that underscore current substance use challenges in Delaware:

• 91.4% of overdose deaths in preliminary 2024 data involved opioids.
• 53.6% of adults in the state reported past-month alcohol use in 2022, stable since 2012.
• Up to 54.1% of overdose cases included stimulants like methamphetamine in 2024.
• 280 annual fatalities are attributed to alcohol-induced causes.

These figures highlight the scope of Delaware’s drug and alcohol problems, illustrating how different substances—from fentanyl to alcohol—contribute to serious public health outcomes. The sections that follow expand on these data points to provide a more detailed picture.

Opioid Prevalence in Delaware

Tracking opioid-related numbers is essential for understanding the scale of overdose risks in the state.

• By 2023, opioid overdose mortality reached 48.5 deaths per 100,000—nearly double the national rate of 27 per 100,000.
• Prescription opioid admissions exceeded heroin admissions by 2009, but heroin cases surged by 58% from 2012 to 2015.
• Fentanyl contributed to a steep rise in mortality, with opioid-involved overdose deaths climbing from 11.8 per 100,000 in 2007 to 48.5 per 100,000 by 2023.
• Preliminary data for 2024 indicates that opioids are present in over 9 out of 10 overdose fatalities.

These statistics reflect a transition from prescription opioids to more lethal synthetic opioids like fentanyl, emphasizing Delaware’s elevated overdose risk relative to national benchmarks. Below is a table summarizing key opioid indicators over recent years.

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Alcohol Use Patterns

Alcohol misuse remains a persistent challenge, fueling a significant share of substance-related harm in Delaware.

• Around 53.6% of adults in Delaware reported any past-month alcohol use in 2022, unchanged for a decade.
• Binge drinking rates stood at 14.0% in 2022, higher than the national average of 12.3%.
• Younger adults aged 25–34 reported a 28% binge drinking rate, exceeding the U.S. average of 19% for that age group.
• Chronic heavy drinking declined slightly from 6.0% in 2015 to 5.5% in 2022.

The relative stability of alcohol consumption signals a deeply rooted drinking culture, even as other substances gain attention. A modest drop in heavy drinking rates may be promising, but alcohol still accounts for hundreds of deaths each year. The table below highlights key trends.

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Cocaine and Methamphetamine Trends

Although opioids often dominate public conversation, stimulant use has resurged, adding another complex layer to Delaware’s overdose data.

• Cocaine-related overdose deaths increased by 44% between 2016 and 2022.
• By 2024, 54.1% of all overdoses involved stimulants such as methamphetamine.
• Fentanyl combined with cocaine or methamphetamine was frequently identified in toxicology reports, contributing to rising polysubstance deaths.
• The state’s stimulant-involved overdose rate was significantly higher compared to neighboring areas, exceeding Pennsylvania’s and Maryland’s by over 20 percentage points.

Emerging mixtures like “tranq dope” (fentanyl cut with xylazine) further complicate overdose responses. Stimulant usage now overlaps strongly with opioid-involved fatalities, as shown in the table below.

Demographic Disparities

Breaking substance use data down by age, race, and gender highlights where burdens are most acute.

• Young adults (18–25) show the highest rates of illicit drug use, with 17.0% meeting substance use disorder criteria in 2019.
• Overdose deaths among Black Delawareans rose 33% between 2020 and 2023, driven by fentanyl-adulterated stimulants.
• Fatal overdoses among Hispanic/Latino populations increased by 28% from 2022 to 2023, highlighting potential language and treatment barriers.
• Men represent 60% of total treatment admissions and 71% of alcohol-induced deaths, yet women are increasingly impacted by faster transitions from prescription misuse to heroin.

These demographic patterns shed light on targeted issues, including the need for culturally competent and age-specific interventions. The table below illustrates disparities in treatment admissions versus overdose mortality by race.

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Regional and National Comparisons

Comparing Delaware’s substance use figures against neighboring states and national trends places local challenges in context.

• Delaware’s 2023 overdose mortality rate (48.5 per 100,000) ranked among the highest in the United States.
• Past-month illicit drug use in Delaware was 9.14% around 2007–2008, above the national average of 8.02%.
• Regional comparisons show higher stimulant-involved overdoses in Delaware (54.1% in 2024) compared to Pennsylvania (32%) and Maryland (29%).
• Binge drinking in Delaware remains 1.7 percentage points higher than the U.S. average, consistently since 2012.

Neighboring areas in the Mid-Atlantic also grapple with opioid issues, but Delaware stands out for its significant jump in stimulant use. Below is a brief table comparing overdose mortality rates across selected nearby states.

Key Statistics Summary

• Opioids contribute to nearly 91.4% of overdose deaths in Delaware’s 2024 preliminary data.
• Overdose mortality reached 48.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, well above national averages.
• Alcohol-induced deaths total 280 annually, with binge drinking rates exceeding national norms.
• Black residents experienced a 33% rise in overdose deaths between 2020 and 2023.
• Stimulant involvement in overdoses rose to 54.1% by 2024, outpacing regional peers.

Overall, the data indicates that Delaware’s substance use challenges remain multifaceted, driven by opioids, emerging synthetic drugs, and ongoing alcohol concerns. Stimulant use has surged, contributing to polysubstance overdoses, while demographic patterns underscore persisting disparities. These figures provide a snapshot of Delaware’s current substance use climate.

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