Why does Tennessee Need to improve?

Despite recent progress, our state and our communities still compare poorly to others.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 106,699 people died from drug overdoses in 2021, a 14% increase over 2020.  Of those deaths, more than 75% involved opioids, and two-thirds involved synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Recent numbers from the Tennessee Department of Health Annual Overdose Report:

  • 645

    In 2023, 3,985 people in Tennessee died from an overdose – more than motor vehicle accidents and homicides combined. 75% of the overdose deaths in 2023 involved opioids; of those, 645 deaths were attributed to prescription opioid painkillers, while the remainder (88%) involved illicit drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    Over two-thirds (71.7%) of all overdose deaths in 2021 involved fentanyl, a 35.7% increase from 2020. Overdoses involving fentanyl (mixed with illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine) surpassed the number of overdoses involving prescription opioid pain relievers by over four times.

  • 25,796

    In 2020, there were 25,796 discharges from Tennessee’s emergency departments and hospitals for treatment of non-fatal overdoses, more than 8 times the 3,043 opioid-related fatal overdoses in the state. According to data published by the Tennessee Department of Health, hospitals reported treating 8,449 non-fatal overdoses in 2022, and another 5,013 between January 1 and August 31, 2023.

    Despite the increasing evidence that buprenorphine is effective in helping to prevent subsequent overdoses, data shows that only one in ten individuals treated for a non-fatal overdose have a buprenorphine prescription filled within one year following the overdose.

  • 809

    In 2020, 809 babies born in Tennessee required hospitalization for opioid withdrawal symptoms (NAS) due to exposure to opioids in the womb before birth.This represents a decrease of 42.4% from 1,906 in 2017, when the number was highest since reporting began in 2013.

    In most of the 254 reported cases (57.9%) of NAS as of July 2021, at least one of the substances was prescribed to the mother by a health care provider. The highest rates of NAS occurred in Sullivan and Knox counties.

Reporting on overdoses in America

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report on drug overdose deaths from 2001 to 2021, noting the trends among age groups, genders, and racial and ethnic groups, as well as comparisons by type of substance(s) used.  

How Tennessee compares to other states

Over two-thirds (71.7%) of all overdose deaths in 2021 involved fentanyl, a 35.7% increase from 2020. Overdoses involving fentanyl (mixed with illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine) surpassed the number of overdoses involving prescription opioid pain relievers by over four times.

  • For 2020, Tennessee ranked 3rd worst in the nation for the number of opioid prescriptions per capita according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every 100 persons, there were 68.5 prescriptions in Tennessee, compared to 43.3 nationally.

    There were 4,715,782 opioid prescriptions filled in Tennessee in 2021 according to the Tennessee Department of Health, a decrease of 32.4% since 2017, and the amount of opioids dispensed (in morphine milligram equivalents) has decreased by 48.6%.

  • In 2021, over two-thirds (71.7%) of all overdose deaths involved fentanyl, a 35.7% increase from 2020. Overdoses involving fentanyl (mixed with illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine) surpassed the number of overdoses involving prescription opioid pain relievers by over four times.

  • From October 2017 to September 2022, over 53,000 documented lives have been saved through the use of naloxone., according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

    Between January 1 and June 30, 2023, first responders in Nashville responded to 2,883 suspected drug overdoses, administering naloxone in 48% of those incidents.

    In 2021, Knox County Health Department reported that first responders administered naloxone to 2,160 individuals, an average of 180 individuals per month, or 6 people per day. First responders administered naloxone to 7,786 individuals between January 2017 and December 2021. Over 10% of the individuals received naloxone treatment to reverse an overdose two times or more during a two-year period.

When we work together, we can make a difference for individuals and communities.

We believe that every life lost to overdose or opioid addiction is a loss to each of us. ONE Tennessee brings together health care professionals–including medical, mental and behavioral health clinicians–community service providers, educators, policymakers, advocates, individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder to understand and adopt safer guidelines. Together, we work to inform and engage each other to prevent and address opioid misuse, addiction and overdose in our communities and across our state.