Pain in the Nation 2023: U.S. Death Rate Due to Alcohol, Drugs, and Suicide Increased by 11 Percent in 2021

The rate of U.S. deaths due to alcohol, drugs, and suicide climbed 11 percent in 2021, according to Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) newly release annual report. While an all-time record, 209,225 Americans lost their lives due to alcohol, drugs or suicide during the year, these deaths continued a two-decade trend of sharply increasing fatalities due to substance misuse and suicide in the U.S. The report also found that over the last decade, alcohol, drug, and suicide deaths among youth ages 10 to 17 increased by 65 percent. Additionally, veteran suicide risk also needs immediate attention.