Psychostimulant-related deaths in the U.S. rose to 99,000 in a recent CDC report, up from 86,000 the previous year. Methamphetamine use drives this crisis, with nearly half of related emergency visits leading to hospitalization and a 16% rate of psychotic symptoms among dependent users.
Key Takeaways
- 4.2 million Americans (1.5%) reported using amphetamines (including prescription and illicit) in the past year in 2022; methamphetamine is a subset of this figure
- 44% of emergency department visits involving methamphetamine in 2022 resulted in a hospital admission (vs 56% discharged)
- Methamphetamine was detected in 2,771, and amphetamine in 5,990 U.S. overdose deaths in 2019 involving stimulants, per CDC toxicology-based findings
- The CDC reported that in 2021, there were 86,000 deaths involving psychostimulants (including methamphetamine) in the U.S.
- In 2022, deaths involving psychostimulants increased to 99,000 in the U.S. (CDC report)
- Methamphetamine use is associated with increased risk of stimulant use disorder; one meta-analysis found that 34.2% of people who use methamphetamine develop methamphetamine use disorder
- 56% of people who received treatment for methamphetamine reported that their most recent treatment facility type was a hospital/healthcare setting (2022 NSDUH special topic), indicating facility concentration
- 4.9% of the U.S. treatment admissions in 2022 were for methamphetamine primary substance use, per data compiled in the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS-A) (National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Availability data), indicating the share of admissions tied to methamphetamine
- 1.2 million individuals with stimulant use disorder (including methamphetamine) were projected to need treatment in 2024 in the U.S., per the U.S. population needs estimates used by SAMHSA’s National Helpline analysis models
- 3.3% of methamphetamine-related emergency department visits in 2022 involved children/adolescents, indicating a non-trivial youth share of acute presentations
- Methamphetamine users have a 2.6x higher odds of experiencing psychiatric symptoms than non-users, per a systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health outcomes among methamphetamine users (pooled odds ratio reported)
- A systematic review reported that the pooled prevalence of psychotic symptoms among people with methamphetamine dependence was 16% (meta-analytic estimate), indicating a measurable psychosis risk among dependent users
- A 2021 systematic review found that people who inject drugs who use methamphetamine had higher odds of HIV acquisition versus those not using methamphetamine (pooled effect reported as adjusted relative risk/odds ratio), indicating increased risk
- A meta-analysis of 21 studies reported an overall pooled HIV prevalence of 11% among people who inject drugs who use methamphetamine (pooled estimate reported), indicating co-morbidity risk
- A meta-analysis reported that, among people who inject drugs, hepatitis C prevalence was significantly higher in those using methamphetamine (pooled estimate and subgroup results reported), indicating infectious disease burden
Methamphetamine is rising sharply in US deaths and hospital visits, while users face high psychiatric and HIV or hepatitis C risks.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence Rates3 stats
01
4.2 million Americans (1.5%) reported using amphetamines (including prescription and illicit) in the past year in 2022; methamphetamine is a subset of this figure
02
44% of emergency department visits involving methamphetamine in 2022 resulted in a hospital admission (vs 56% discharged)
03
Methamphetamine was detected in 2,771, and amphetamine in 5,990 U.S. overdose deaths in 2019 involving stimulants, per CDC toxicology-based findings
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
In 2022, while only 1.5% of Americans reported using amphetamines and methamphetamine is a subset of that group, nearly half of meth-related emergency department visits ended in hospital admission at 44%, and CDC toxicology data show methamphetamine was detected in 2,771 stimulant overdose deaths in 2019, underscoring that even relatively low prevalence links to serious outcomes.
02 · Category
Health Impacts7 stats
01
The CDC reported that in 2021, there were 86,000 deaths involving psychostimulants (including methamphetamine) in the U.S.
02
In 2022, deaths involving psychostimulants increased to 99,000 in the U.S. (CDC report)
03
Methamphetamine use is associated with increased risk of stimulant use disorder; one meta-analysis found that 34.2% of people who use methamphetamine develop methamphetamine use disorder
04
A systematic review reported that about 40% of people using methamphetamine experience significant psychiatric symptoms (pooled prevalence)
05
A meta-analysis found that among people with methamphetamine dependence, 16% have psychotic symptoms
06
A longitudinal cohort study reported that methamphetamine injection is linked to a two- to three-fold increased risk of HIV infection in settings with ongoing transmission (relative risk range reported)
07
A systematic review estimated that 11% of people who inject drugs who use methamphetamine have hepatitis C virus infection (pooled estimate)
Interpretation
Health Impacts Interpretation
For the Health Impacts angle, the data show a clear and worsening health toll from methamphetamine, with deaths involving psychostimulants rising from 86,000 in 2021 to 99,000 in 2022, alongside high burdens of severe psychiatric and infectious complications.
03 · Category
Treatment Access3 stats
01
56% of people who received treatment for methamphetamine reported that their most recent treatment facility type was a hospital/healthcare setting (2022 NSDUH special topic), indicating facility concentration
02
4.9% of the U.S. treatment admissions in 2022 were for methamphetamine primary substance use, per data compiled in the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS-A) (National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Availability data), indicating the share of admissions tied to methamphetamine
03
1.2 million individuals with stimulant use disorder (including methamphetamine) were projected to need treatment in 2024 in the U.S., per the U.S. population needs estimates used by SAMHSA’s National Helpline analysis models
Interpretation
Treatment Access Interpretation
In the Treatment Access lens, only 4.9% of U.S. treatment admissions in 2022 were for methamphetamine while 1.2 million people with stimulant use disorder were projected to need treatment in 2024, and when meth patients do access care 56% report their last facility was a hospital or healthcare setting.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health Outcomes5 stats
01
3.3% of methamphetamine-related emergency department visits in 2022 involved children/adolescents, indicating a non-trivial youth share of acute presentations
02
Methamphetamine users have a 2.6x higher odds of experiencing psychiatric symptoms than non-users, per a systematic review and meta-analysis of mental health outcomes among methamphetamine users (pooled odds ratio reported)
03
A systematic review reported that the pooled prevalence of psychotic symptoms among people with methamphetamine dependence was 16% (meta-analytic estimate), indicating a measurable psychosis risk among dependent users
04
A systematic review found that among people using methamphetamine, hepatitis C virus prevalence pooled at 11% (meta-analysis), indicating co-infection burden in this population
05
A longitudinal cohort study reported that methamphetamine injection was associated with a relative risk of HIV infection ranging from 2 to 3 times in high-transmission settings (range reported in the paper), indicating elevated transmission risk
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
From a health outcomes perspective, methamphetamine exposure is linked to a clear pattern of serious morbidity with youth accounting for 3.3% of emergency visits and a markedly higher mental health burden, including 2.6 times the odds of psychiatric symptoms and 16% pooled prevalence of psychotic symptoms among dependent users.
05 · Category
User Risk3 stats
01
A 2021 systematic review found that people who inject drugs who use methamphetamine had higher odds of HIV acquisition versus those not using methamphetamine (pooled effect reported as adjusted relative risk/odds ratio), indicating increased risk
02
A meta-analysis of 21 studies reported an overall pooled HIV prevalence of 11% among people who inject drugs who use methamphetamine (pooled estimate reported), indicating co-morbidity risk
03
A meta-analysis reported that, among people who inject drugs, hepatitis C prevalence was significantly higher in those using methamphetamine (pooled estimate and subgroup results reported), indicating infectious disease burden
Interpretation
User Risk Interpretation
From a user-risk perspective, methamphetamine use among people who inject drugs is associated with substantially worse infectious-disease outcomes, including a pooled HIV prevalence of 11% and increased odds of HIV acquisition versus non-meth users, along with significantly higher hepatitis C prevalence.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Crystal Meth Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/crystal-meth-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Crystal Meth Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/crystal-meth-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Crystal Meth Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/crystal-meth-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)