Indiana Opioid Statistics

Indiana has been grappling with the devastating impact of opioid misuse, which has strained healthcare systems, increased overdose fatalities, and created significant economic burdens. 

The crisis has affected thousands of residents, with rising emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths linked to opioid use. 

While the state has made progress in reducing opioid prescriptions and expanding treatment programs, challenges remain in addressing addiction and its widespread consequences. 

Read on to learn important statistics on opioid use in Indiana, its impact on public health and the economy, and ongoing efforts to combat the epidemic.

Key Takeaways:

• The Indiana Business Review estimates that 204,051 Hoosiers use opioids, with 40,810 individuals struggling with addiction. 
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that 1.4% of Indiana’s population (approximately 73,347 people) misuses opioids.
• Employment data indicates that 57.5% of opioid misusers in Indiana are part of the workforce, while 42.5% are unemployed.
• Non-fatal emergency room visits for opioid overdoses increased from 1,856 in 2011 to 8,297 in 2016, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. 
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 35% rise in emergency visits due to opioid overdoses between 2016 and 2017. 
• In 2015, 1,430 opioid-related hospitalizations were recorded in Indiana, and 63% of adults misused opioids for pain relief.
• According to KFF, opioid overdoses accounted for 78% of all drug-related deaths in Indiana in 2021, with 2,206 fatalities. 
• Between 2011 and 2021, the state’s opioid overdose death rate rose from 5.6 to 34.2 per 100,000 people, surpassing the national average. 
• The Indiana Business Review marks 2003 as the onset of the epidemic, with opioid-related deaths surging by 112.5% in one year.
• The Indiana Business Review estimates that Indiana has sustained $43.3 billion in economic damages due to opioid misuse over 15 years. 
• The Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder’s 2024 Progress Report highlighted a 5% decline in opioid overdose deaths in 2022 and a 29% reduction in opioid prescriptions over the past 6 years. 
• In Indiana, 6,123 people received methadone and 2,871 received buprenorphine in opioid treatment programs in 2019. 

Prevalence of Opioid Use in Indiana

• According to the Indiana Business Review, an estimated 10 million Americans use opioids, with approximately 2 million likely experiencing addiction. Given that 2% of the U.S. population aged 16 and older resides in Indiana and that the state ranks 26th in heroin use, it is estimated that around 204,051 Hoosiers use opioids, with approximately 40,810 struggling with addiction. 
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that 1.4% of the U.S. population aged 16 and older engages in opioid misuse. Based on Indiana’s population of 5,239,077 individuals aged 16 and older, this translates to an estimated 73,347 opioid misusers in the state. 
• According to the Indiana Business Review, an estimated 57.5% of opioid misusers are part of the full-time or part-time workforce, while 11.9% are unemployed, and 30.6% are not in the labor force. 

• According to the Behavioral Health Barometer in Indiana, the annual average percentage of opioid use disorder among young adults aged 18–25 remained relatively stable between 2015–2017 and 2017–2019. During the 2017–2019 period, the state’s annual average prevalence of past-year opioid use disorder was 1.4%, which was comparable to the regional average of 0.9% and the national average of 1.0%. 
• According to Indiana’s Government Management Performance Hub, nearly 90% of individuals struggling with addiction in the state first used illicit drugs before turning 18. 

Hospital Visits Due to Opioid Misuse in Indiana

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency department visits for suspected opioid overdoses in Indiana increased by 35% between July 2016 and September 2017. 
• According to the Indiana Government’s report on Substance Use Disorder Treatment Policy Recommendations, Indiana’s opioid prescribing rate in 2016 was 83.9 prescriptions per 100 people, exceeding the national average of 66.5 prescriptions per 100 people. 
• According to a report from the Indiana University School of Medicine, there were 1,430 opioid-related hospitalizations in Indiana in 2015. Additionally, 63% of adults who misused opioids did so for pain relief. 
• According to the Indiana State Department of Health, the number of non-fatal emergency room visits due to acute opioid overdoses in Indiana increased from 1,856 in 2011 to 2,977 in 2015. The figure saw a sharp rise in 2016, reaching 8,297 emergency visits. 

Opioid Overdose Deaths in Indiana

• According to KKF, Indiana reported 2,206 opioid overdose fatalities in 2021, which represented 78% of all drug-related deaths in the state. Nationally, opioid overdoses accounted for 75% of total drug overdose deaths in the same year. 
• KKF also reports that Indiana’s age-adjusted opioid overdose death rate rose from 5.6 per 100,000 in 2011 to 34.2 per 100,000 in 2021. In comparison, the national U.S. age-adjusted opioid overdose death rate increased from 7.3 per 100,000 to 24.7 per 100,000 over this period. 
• Indiana University reports that:
  • Over the past decade, opioids have claimed the lives of approximately 4,000 Hoosiers. 
  • Synthetic opioid-related deaths in Indiana surged by more than 600% between 2012 and 2016.
• According to Indiana’s Government Management Performance Hub, opioid poisoning deaths have risen by 500% since 1999. 
• According to data from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), the number of drug overdose deaths involving opioids and other substances among Indiana residents is reported by year as follows: 

• According to Indiana’s Management Performance Hub, opioid-related deaths among Hoosiers surged by 111% between 2015 and 2016, while fatalities linked to synthetic opioids increased by 134% during the same timeframe. 
• The Indiana Business Review identifies 2003 as the beginning of the opioid epidemic, when the total number of overdose fatalities increased from 281 in 2002 to 426 in 2003, reflecting a 51.6% rise in just one year. Additionally, deaths classified under the “all opioids” category surged from 56 in 2002 to 119 in 2003, which marked a 112.5% increase. 
• In 2016, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation reported that 1,700 Hoosiers died from drug overdoses, marking a record high and a 75% increase since 2011. In Marion County alone, preliminary data showed 355 drug overdose deaths that year, with opioids accounting for the vast majority. Detailed toxicology reports from Marion County revealed that opioids were involved in 81% of overdose fatalities. 
• The Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder 2024 Progress Report showed a 5% decline in opioid overdose deaths in 2022 and a 29% reduction in opioid prescriptions dispensed by pharmacies over the past 6 years. 

Impact of Opioid Misuse in Indiana

• According to the Indiana Business Review, the direct loss to Indiana’s economy due to opioid misuse is estimated at $1.5 billion annually in terms of Gross State Product (GSP). 
• The SAMHSA reports that the unemployment rate is 389% higher among individuals who misuse opioids. As of September 2017, Indiana’s overall unemployment rate stood at 3.8%. 
• According to the Indiana Business Review, the cumulative economic impact of 15 years of opioid misuse in Indiana has amounted to $43.3 billion. For the calendar year 2018 alone, ongoing economic damages were projected to exceed $4 billion, driven by factors such as opioid misuse rates, overdose incidents, emergency response demands, and labor market constraints. 

Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Statistics in Indiana

• According to the Indiana Behavioral Health Barometer:
  • A single-day count in March 2019 recorded 6,123 individuals in Indiana receiving methadone as part of opioid treatment programs for substance use disorder. 
  • In a single-day count conducted in March 2019, 2,871 individuals in Indiana were receiving buprenorphine as part of their substance use treatment, marking an increase from 1,178 individuals in 2015.

• A 2015 study by Jones et al., “National and State Treatment Need and Capacity for Opioid Agonist Medication-Assisted Treatment,” found that Indiana had a maximum potential buprenorphine treatment capacity of 2.8 patients per 1,000 people. In comparison, neighboring states had higher capacities: Kentucky at 5.8 patients per 1,000, Michigan at 5.3 patients per 1,000, and Ohio at 4 patients per 1,000. 
• Indiana Business Review estimates that the cost of emergency responders to opioid overdoses per call in Indiana was $465 as of 2016. The total emergency responder costs over the years are as follows: 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Number One Drug in Indiana?

Marijuana and methamphetamine have consistently been among the top most used drugs in Indiana, according to the Indiana State Police Lab Division. 

What Is the Opioid Law in Indiana?

Indiana’s opioid laws regulate prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring to combat misuse. The state enforces prescription limits, requires participation in the INSPECT monitoring program, and restricts opioid dispensing. Laws also expand access to naloxone, strengthen penalties for drug trafficking, and support treatment programs for substance use disorder.

How Many People in Indiana Have Substance Use Disorder?

Approximately 1 in 12 Hoosiers, or nearly 500,000 individuals, meet the criteria for having a substance use disorder (SUD), according to data from the SAMHSA. Many of these cases have concurrent mental health diagnoses as well. Learn more in our post titled “Indiana Mental Health Statistics”.