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

United States of America, at 83,344 deaths against 5,568 deaths in China as of 2021.

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

77,776 deaths, with United States of America ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for China 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.

China vs United States of America: Drug use disorder deaths

China

5,568 deaths

in 2021

United States of America

83,344 deaths

in 2021

China rank

4th

United States of America rank

1st

Drug use disorder deaths over time

China
United States of America

How they compare

United States of America currently reports 83,344 deaths against 5,568 deaths in China, a difference of 77,776 deaths.

That makes United States of America's figure about 15.0 times China's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 22 shared years of data; in 2000 it was China ahead.

China ranks 4th 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	China	United States of America	Difference	Ahead
2000s	9,200 deaths	17,799 deaths	8,600 deaths	United States of America
2010s	5,257 deaths	37,297 deaths	32,041 deaths	United States of America
2020s	5,546 deaths	77,126 deaths	71,581 deaths	United States of America

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher drug use disorder deaths, China or United States of America?: United States of America, at 83,344 deaths against 5,568 deaths in China as of 2021.
What is the difference in drug use disorder deaths between China and United States of America?: 77,776 deaths, with United States of America ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States of America?: 22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2021.
How do China and United States of America rank globally for drug use disorder deaths?: China ranks 4th 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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China 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 06 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/deaths-drug-overdoses-who/china/united-states/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/compare/deaths-drug-overdoses-who/china/united-states/">China 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.