New Survey Reveals Higher-than-Estimated Use of Illicit Opioids Among Americans

Recent research indicates that the prevalence of illicit opioid use in the United States is significantly higher than prior federal estimates. A comprehensive survey conducted in June 2024 involving 1,515 American adults found that 11% reported using illicit opioids such as heroin or illegally manufactured fentanyl within the past year. Notably, 7.5% of participants indicated they used fentanyl derived from illicit sources during this period. These figures are more than 20 times greater than the annual federal estimates, which suggested that only about 0.3% of adults used illicitly produced fentanyl in 2022.

The study highlights the limitations of current federal surveys, which may underestimate actual drug use rates, partly due to the survey methods that often involve in-person interviews potentially inhibiting honest reporting. Researchers from RAND and the University of Southern California emphasize the need for innovative, cost-effective methods for real-time monitoring of illicit drug use to better understand and address the evolving opioid crisis.

The opioid epidemic in the US has transitioned from prescription painkillers to heroin in the early 2010s, and more recently, to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is now involved in the majority of overdose deaths. Despite its critical role, there remains a scarcity of current data on the actual prevalence of illicit opioid use.

The national survey on drug use that began tracking fentanyl only in 2022 reported a small 0.3% use rate; however, prior research suggests these figures likely underrepresent true figures. The recent study found that 7.7% of respondents intentionally used nonprescription opioids, with a substantial portion reporting that their first exposure involved illicit opioids, either by accident or deliberately. Interestingly, among users, nearly 40% reported their initial opioid use involved prescribed medication, while about 36% started with non-prescribed drugs, including illicit fentanyl.

The findings advocate for the implementation of more immediate data collection methods to prevent the ongoing crisis effectively. This research underscores the importance of understanding actual drug use patterns to develop targeted interventions, save lives, and curb the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-americans-illicit-opioids-higher-previously.html