Overview

• A PLOS Mental Health study found that 82% of individuals who use opioids have also used stimulants, with 22% reporting regular amphetamine use.
• Investigators analyzed intentional and unintentional overdose data from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, Canada’s Public Health Agency, and Alberta’s surveillance system.
• Opioid fatalities climbed in four waves, peaking from 2019 to 2021, while stimulant-related deaths surged most sharply between 2013 and 2021.
• Deaths involving both drug classes jumped in two major spikes—most dramatically between 2013 and 2021—underscoring growing polysubstance risk.
• Google Trends showed pronounced interest spikes for opioids but persistently low searches for stimulants, highlighting significant public awareness gaps.