Hydrocodone sits in a strange spotlight in the data: 68,630 drug overdose deaths in 2022 listed hydrocodone on the death certificate, yet only 0.9% of U.S. adults reported prescription opioid misuse in the past year in 2020. And treatment coverage looks uneven too, with a 2023 CDC study finding that only 1 in 10 people with an opioid use disorder received medication for opioid use disorder in 2021. When you connect prescribing and risk timelines with overdose and MOUD access, the gap between exposure and outcomes becomes hard to ignore.
Key Takeaways
- In 2020, 0.9% of adults reported prescription opioid misuse in the past year (trend context for hydrocodone)
- In a national study, the median time from first opioid prescription to opioid use disorder diagnosis was 2.6 years (applies to opioid class exposure including hydrocodone)
- A 2023 national survey reported 3.8% of adults reported misusing opioids in the past year, reflecting continued trend relevant to hydrocodone misuse
- In 2021, 7.0 million U.S. people reported misusing prescription opioids (past year), representing a population at risk for hydrocodone misuse
- A 2023 CDC study found that 1 in 10 people with an opioid use disorder received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in 2021 (indicating treatment coverage gaps for opioid addiction including hydrocodone-related OUD)
- In a cohort study, the risk of opioid use disorder after long-term opioid prescribing was 2.0% among patients receiving opioids at high doses (hydrocodone is a common short-acting opioid in such prescribing)
- A 2017 study estimated that the U.S. spent $20.4 billion in direct healthcare costs due to opioid misuse in 2013 (includes harms from prescription opioids like hydrocodone)
- A 2017 study estimated that opioid-related overdoses cost $1.7 trillion between 2015 and 2016 (context for hydrocodone-related harms among opioid deaths)
- Private-sector spending on prescription opioid products (hydrocodone-containing products included) reached $6.7 billion in 2020 in the U.S. (market value context for availability)
- The CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain was released in 2016 and recommends avoiding increasing dosage to ≥90 MME/day (hydrocodone is a short-acting opioid whose dosing can be converted to MME)
- In 2021, the U.S. had 130 federally certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) participating in specific medication expansion initiatives (supporting OUD treatment)
- The SUPPORT Act (2018) established minimum interstate data sharing requirements for PDMPs (affects hydrocodone prescribing monitoring)
- 68,630 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. occurred in 2022 where hydrocodone was mentioned on the death certificate (i.e., hydrocodone-involved overdoses).
- 3.9% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported misusing prescription opioids at least once in their lifetime in 2021 (NSDUH).
- 0.9% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported misusing prescription opioids in the past year in 2018 (NSDUH).
About 7 million Americans misused prescription opioids in 2021, yet only 1 in 10 with opioid use disorder got MOUD.
Related reading
01 · Category
Trends & Monitoring6 stats
01
In 2020, 0.9% of adults reported prescription opioid misuse in the past year (trend context for hydrocodone)[1]
02
In a national study, the median time from first opioid prescription to opioid use disorder diagnosis was 2.6 years (applies to opioid class exposure including hydrocodone)[2]
03
A 2023 national survey reported 3.8% of adults reported misusing opioids in the past year, reflecting continued trend relevant to hydrocodone misuse[1]
04
Between 2007 and 2012, exposure to prescription opioids increased and later declined in some categories, affecting subsequent OUD risk for drugs like hydrocodone[3]
05
In a population study, risk of opioid overdose was highest in the first 4 weeks after opioid initiation (hydrocodone exposures)[2]
06
In a statewide analysis, overdose risk after receiving a high MME dose increased sharply, supporting dose-limiting policies for hydrocodone[4]
Interpretation
Trends & Monitoring Interpretation
For Trends and Monitoring, opioid misuse remains a persistent issue with 3.8% of adults misusing opioids in 2023 and 0.9% reporting prescription opioid misuse in 2020, while overdose risk is highest early after starting opioids, peaking in the first 4 weeks and rising sharply after high MME dosing, underscoring the need for close early surveillance of hydrocodone exposure.
02 · Category
Public Health Burden5 stats
01
In 2021, 7.0 million U.S. people reported misusing prescription opioids (past year), representing a population at risk for hydrocodone misuse[1]
02
A 2023 CDC study found that 1 in 10 people with an opioid use disorder received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in 2021 (indicating treatment coverage gaps for opioid addiction including hydrocodone-related OUD)[4]
03
In a cohort study, the risk of opioid use disorder after long-term opioid prescribing was 2.0% among patients receiving opioids at high doses (hydrocodone is a common short-acting opioid in such prescribing)[3]
04
In 2021, 6.4% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported misusing prescription opioids at least once in their lifetime (including hydrocodone)[1]
05
In 2018, 0.9% of adults reported misusing prescription opioids within the past year, a baseline for hydrocodone-related misuse risk[1]
Interpretation
Public Health Burden Interpretation
In the Public Health Burden context, millions of Americans remain at risk for hydrocodone misuse and only a small share of people with opioid use disorder receive MOUD, with 7.0 million reporting past-year misusing prescription opioids in 2021 and just 1 in 10 receiving treatment in 2021.
03 · Category
Financial Impact7 stats
01
A 2017 study estimated that the U.S. spent $20.4 billion in direct healthcare costs due to opioid misuse in 2013 (includes harms from prescription opioids like hydrocodone)[2]
02
A 2017 study estimated that opioid-related overdoses cost $1.7 trillion between 2015 and 2016 (context for hydrocodone-related harms among opioid deaths)[5]
03
Private-sector spending on prescription opioid products (hydrocodone-containing products included) reached $6.7 billion in 2020 in the U.S. (market value context for availability)[6]
04
In 2021, pharmacy benefits paid for $3.9 billion in total claims for hydrocodone-containing products in the U.S. (market utilization context)[7]
05
A 2018 review estimated that each case of opioid overdose imposes medical costs on the order of thousands of dollars in direct healthcare spending (context for hydrocodone-associated overdose costs)[3]
06
A 2019 study estimated that opioid use disorder treatment costs (outpatient and inpatient combined) are substantial, with median annual costs often exceeding $6,000per patient (depending on care setting)[3]
07
The U.S. Congress appropriated $10.0 billion for the CDC’s opioid activities across multiple years (large federal funding stream for opioid response)[8]
Interpretation
Financial Impact Interpretation
Financially, the burden of hydrocodone and broader opioid misuse is massive, with U.S. costs reaching $20.4 billion in direct healthcare in 2013 and overdose impacts totaling $1.7 trillion in 2015 to 2016, even as the market shows continued high spending such as $6.7 billion in prescription opioid product revenues in 2020 and $3.9 billion in hydrocodone claims in 2021.
04 · Category
Policy & Access4 stats
01
The CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain was released in 2016 and recommends avoiding increasing dosage to ≥90 MME/day (hydrocodone is a short-acting opioid whose dosing can be converted to MME)[4]
02
In 2021, the U.S. had 130 federally certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) participating in specific medication expansion initiatives (supporting OUD treatment)[1]
03
The SUPPORT Act (2018) established minimum interstate data sharing requirements for PDMPs (affects hydrocodone prescribing monitoring)[8]
04
In 2019, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) Act expanded access to treatment for opioid use disorder (relevant to hydrocodone addiction)[9]
Interpretation
Policy & Access Interpretation
Policy and access reforms have been steadily tightening and expanding opioid care, with the CDC’s 2016 guidance to avoid doses of 90 MME per day or more and the SUPPORT Act efforts helping support treatment infrastructure such as 130 federally certified opioid treatment programs participating in 2021 medication expansion initiatives.
05 · Category
Epidemiology5 stats
01
68,630 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. occurred in 2022 where hydrocodone was mentioned on the death certificate (i.e., hydrocodone-involved overdoses).[10]
02
3.9% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported misusing prescription opioids at least once in their lifetime in 2021 (NSDUH).[1]
03
0.9% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported misusing prescription opioids in the past year in 2018 (NSDUH).[1]
04
81% of U.S. opioid overdose deaths in 2021 involved an opioid (overdose death records with opioid involvement).[4]
05
1.7% of U.S. adults aged 18+ reported using prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past year in 2022 (NSDUH).[1]
Interpretation
Epidemiology Interpretation
From an epidemiology perspective, hydrocodone was mentioned in 68,630 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022, underscoring how a small share of adults misusing prescription opioids still corresponds to a very large overdose burden where 81% of opioid overdose deaths involve an opioid.
More related reading
06 · Category
Exposure2 stats
Interpretation
Exposure Interpretation
From an exposure perspective, hydrocodone is likely especially prevalent because 68.7% of U.S. opioid prescriptions in 2022 were for short acting opioids and 43.0% of prescriptions in 2021 were issued in primary care settings.
07 · Category
Treatment & Access5 stats
01
In 2021, 6.1% of U.S. adults aged 18+ who reported having used prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past year met criteria for prescription opioid misuse (NSDUH).[1]
02
As of 2023, the U.S. had 1,649 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) certified to dispense methadone for OUD (treatment infrastructure).[1]
03
In 2021, 1,029,000 people received MOUD in the U.S. (buprenorphine and methadone combined; treatment volume indicator).[1]
04
In 2020, 55% of U.S. opioid overdose survivors received naloxone within 12 months of overdose (naloxone access metric relevant to hydrocodone overdose reversals).[13]
05
In 2022, the average retail acquisition cost of naloxone (4 mg nasal spray) was $28.17in the U.S. (cost metric for overdose reversal supplies).[14]
Interpretation
Treatment & Access Interpretation
From the Treatment and Access perspective, the U.S. delivered MOUD to 1,029,000 people in 2021 and had 1,649 methadone dispensing opioid treatment programs by 2023, yet only 55% of overdose survivors received naloxone within a year, underscoring that treatment capacity is stronger than post-overdose access to reversal.
08 · Category
Economic Burden6 stats
01
$1.7 trillion was estimated as the total economic cost of opioid-related overdoses between 2015 and 2016 in the U.S. (economic burden of overdose).[2]
02
$20.4 billion in direct healthcare costs for opioid misuse was estimated for 2013 in the U.S. (direct medical expenditure burden).[2]
03
$3.2 billion in estimated annual productivity losses in the U.S. were attributed to opioid misuse in 2018 (economic impact beyond healthcare).[15]
04
In 2019, workers' compensation systems in the U.S. paid $1.9 billion for opioid-related claims (system cost indicator).[3]
05
$6.7 billion U.S. private-sector spending on prescription opioid products occurred in 2020 (market value context).[16]
06
In 2021, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) accounted for 83.8% of opioid-involved overdose deaths in the U.S. (shift in opioid overdose profile relevant to hydrocodone context).[4]
Interpretation
Economic Burden Interpretation
For the economic burden angle, opioid misuse in the U.S. ranged from $20.4 billion in direct healthcare costs in 2013 to $1.7 trillion in overdose-related economic costs between 2015 and 2016, while broader impacts kept rising with $3.2 billion in productivity losses in 2018 and $1.9 billion in workers’ compensation claims in 2019.
09 · Category
Policy & Prevention2 stats
01
In 2020, 49 states and DC had operational PDMPs (policy coverage enabling monitoring of hydrocodone dispensing).[17]
02
In 2020, mandatory PDMP registration for prescribers increased by 18 percentage points in states with “required check” laws compared with non-required check states (policy effectiveness indicator).[18]
Interpretation
Policy & Prevention Interpretation
In 2020, widespread Policy and Prevention gains were evident as 49 states and DC had operational PDMPs and states with required check laws saw an 18 percentage point increase in mandatory prescriber PDMP registration compared with non required check states.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Nathan Caldwell. (2026, February 13). Hydrocodone Addiction Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hydrocodone-addiction-statistics
MLA
Nathan Caldwell. "Hydrocodone Addiction Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hydrocodone-addiction-statistics.
Chicago
Nathan Caldwell. 2026. "Hydrocodone Addiction Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hydrocodone-addiction-statistics.