Cook County opioid overdose deaths in 2023 expected to fall just short of 2022's record
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Opioid overdose deaths in Cook County largely remained steady in 2023, likely to fall just short of the record set in 2022.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office said preliminary data from 2023 show 1,540 confirmed opioid overdose deaths, with another 400 pending cases likely to be due to opioid overdoses.
That would put 2023's opioid deaths just below 2022's record of 2,001 such deaths. The previous record was set in 2021, with 1,938 confirmed opioid overdose deaths.
So far, 90% of the opioid deaths in 2023 have involved fentanyl, a painkiller 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Overall, the Cook County Medical Examiner's caseload in 2023 totaled 7,738 deaths, down from a peak caseload of 16,047 in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but still above the pre-COVID average of 6,200 deaths per year.
Males account for 80% of the opioid deaths last year. The overwhelming majority of victims – 56% - were African American, with Whites accounting for 27%, and Latinos making up 15%. The most common age group for opioid overdose deaths were 50- to 59-year-olds, who accounted for 27% of opioid deaths.
The youngest victim of an opioid overdose death was an 8-month-old boy from Chicago. The oldest was a 93-year-old woman from Arlington Heights.
Year | Opioid Overdose Deaths |
2023. | 1,540* |
2022 | 2,001 |
2021 | 1,938 |
2020 | 1,847 |
2019 | 1,295 |
2018 | 1,170 |
2017 | 1,167 |
2016 | 1,081 |
2015 | 647 |
*Preliminary data
Meantime, homicides dropped for the second year in a row, falling to 828 across Cook County, a 14% decline from 2022, and a 24% drop from 2021. Chicago led the way with 651 homicides, followed by Harvey with 13, Chicago Heights and Dolton with 12, and Riverdale with 11.
Homicides remain well above pre-pandemic levels. Cook County saw 675 homicides in 2019, and 724 in 2018.
Like with opioid deaths, African Americans made up the vast majority of homicide victims, accounting for 76% of all homicides in Cook County. Latinos made up just 18% of homicide deaths.
Children under age 18 accounted for 92 of the county's homicide victims, with 15 of those under age 10.
Year | All Homicides | Gun-Related Homicide. | Chicago Homicides |
2023 | 828* | 729* | 651* |
2022 | 962 | 826 | 755 |
2021 | 1,094 | 1,007 | 839 |
2020 | 986 | 881 | 803 |
2019 | 675 | 588 | 533 |
2018 | 724 | 598 | 605 |
*Preliminary data
Overall suicide rates in Cook County have remained consistent. Males continue to make up more than 3/4 of suicide deaths.
Year | Total Suicides | Black | Latino | White | Asian | Other | Male/Female |
2023. | 494*. | 20% | 16% | 59% | 4% | < 1%. | 78%/22% |
2022 | 499 | 20% | 16% | 60% | 4% | 0% | 77%/23% |
2021 | 506 | 19% | 14% | 59% | 5.5% | 2.5% | 77%/23% |
2020 | 453 | 22% | 13% | 58% | 5% | < 2% | 79%/21% |
2019 | 479 | 12% | 16% | 66% | 6% | < 1% | 76%/24% |
*Preliminary data
