Which has higher drug use disorder deaths, Canada or United States of America?

United States of America, at 83,344 deaths against 5,602 deaths in Canada as of 2021.

What is the difference in drug use disorder deaths between Canada and United States of America?

77,742 deaths, with United States of America ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United States of America?

22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2021.

Where does this data come from?

World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Drug use disorder deaths. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Canada vs United States of America: Drug use disorder deaths

Canada

5,602 deaths

in 2021

United States of America

83,344 deaths

in 2021

Canada rank

3rd

United States of America rank

1st

Drug use disorder deaths over time

Canada
United States of America

How they compare

United States of America currently reports 83,344 deaths against 5,602 deaths in Canada, a difference of 77,742 deaths.

That makes United States of America's figure about 14.9 times Canada's.

Across all 22 years both countries report, United States of America has been ahead every year.

Canada ranks 3rd and United States of America ranks 1st of 194 countries.

United States of America has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	United States of America	Difference	Ahead
2000s	788.21 deaths	17,799 deaths	17,011 deaths	United States of America
2010s	2,130 deaths	37,297 deaths	35,168 deaths	United States of America
2020s	5,234 deaths	77,126 deaths	71,892 deaths	United States of America

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher drug use disorder deaths, Canada or United States of America?: United States of America, at 83,344 deaths against 5,602 deaths in Canada as of 2021.
What is the difference in drug use disorder deaths between Canada and United States of America?: 77,742 deaths, with United States of America ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United States of America?: 22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2021.
How do Canada and United States of America rank globally for drug use disorder deaths?: Canada ranks 3rd and United States of America ranks 1st of 194 countries.
Where does this data come from?: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Drug use disorder deaths. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Canada vs United States of America: Drug use disorder deaths. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/deaths-drug-overdoses-who/canada/united-states/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/compare/deaths-drug-overdoses-who/canada/united-states/">Canada vs United States of America: Drug use disorder deaths</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Drug use disorder deaths
Unit: deaths
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 194 places, 4,268 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Estimated number of deaths from opioid use disorders in both sexes.