Millennium Health Signals Report^® 
Volume 8.2

Just as the drugs primarily involved in overdose deaths have evolved over the past three decades, the demographic characteristics of those who are at the greatest risk for a fatal overdose have also likely shifted. By 2030 in the U.S., all Baby Boomers will be older than 65 years of age and by 2034, the number of older adults is projected to be higher than the number of children for the first time in U.S. history according to a 2020 report by the U.S. Census Bureau. However, most research on substance use and efforts to prevent and respond to overdoses is targeted towards younger people, leaving significant gaps in knowledge about and tailored services for issues related to drug use among older individuals. Here we analyzed more than 1.5 million clinical urine drug test results from patients across the U.S. with a substance use disorder diagnosis to evaluate fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine use across six key age groups from 2018 through mid-2026 with the goal of improving awareness of these trends and supporting the development of tailored interventions to reduce harms and save lives.

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