Injury and Violence Prevention Branch

Poisoning Data

Deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits due to poisoning, particularly medication and drug poisoning, have become a growing public health concern nationally and in North Carolina.

Historically, prescription opioids have been a major driver of this epidemic. However, illicit drugs are now contributing to this problem in increasing numbers. The majority of unintentional opioid overdose deaths now involve heroin or other synthetic narcotics (like fentanyl). The number of overdose deaths involving stimulants is also on the rise.

This webpage includes statewide summary data, a link to the state’s Opioid Action Plan Data Dashboard, monthly data updates, and county-level data. Please contact us with questions or data requests. Visit Poisoning Prevention and Unintentional Poisoning from Prescription Drugs for more information on preventing poisoning deaths in North Carolina.

N.C. Summary Data

• NC Overdose Data: Trends and Surveillance is a recorded presentation of core overdose data.
  • Download the slides: Core Overdose Data Slides January 2019 (PPTX, 6.9 MB)
• The Prescription and Drug Overdose Fact Sheet (PDF, 180 KB) provides a snapshot of prescription drug overdose deaths.
• The Opioid-related Overdose Fact Sheet provides information specific to the opioid epidemic.
• Impacts of Substance Use on Families Fact Sheet (PDF, 329 KB)
• Annual Data Summary: 2018 Opioid Overdose ED Visit Data (PDF, 324 KB)
• Annual Data Summary: 2018 NC Harm Reduction Data (PDF, 423 KB)

N.C. Opioid Action Plan Data Dashboard - Updated Quarterly

• Data dashboard to track and monitor the N.C. Opioid Action Plan metrics; data available for the state and individual counties.
• North Carolina’s Opioid Action Plan

County Overdose Slide Sets

Note: When downloading and opening a slide set, within PowerPoint you may see a security notice warning you about links to other files. If so, you can ignore the notice and click the "Cancel" button to continue opening the file. Do not click the "Update Links" button.

Select County Alamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey

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NC DETECT Opioid Overdose ED Visits Reports - Updated Monthly

• October 2019 Opioid Surveillance ED Data (PDF, 378 KB)
• October 2019 Opioid Overdose Emergency Department Visits Heat Maps (PDF, 257 KB)
• County Opioid Overdose Emergency Department Visit Reports (For counties with average monthly visits ≥ 5) 
  • Alamance (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Buncombe (PDF, 98 KB)
  • Burke (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Cabarrus (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Catawba (PDF, 99 KB)
  • Cleveland (PDF, 99 KB)
  • Craven (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Cumberland (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Davidson (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Durham (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Forsyth (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Gaston (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Guilford (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Halifax (PDF, 99 KB)
  • Harnett (PDF, 98 KB)
  • Haywood (PDF, 99 KB)
  • Henderson (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Iredell (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Johnston (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Lee (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Lincoln (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Mecklenburg (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Moore (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Nash (PDF, 99 KB)
  • New Hanover (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Onslow (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Pitt (PDF, 98 KB)
  • Randolph (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Robeson (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Rockingham (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Rowan (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Stanly (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Surry (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Union (PDF, 96 KB)
  • Vance (PDF, 98 KB)
  • Wake (PDF, 97 KB)
  • Wayne (PDF, 97 KB)

NC OCME Poisoning Deaths Surveillance Reports

• NC OCME Overdose Surveillance, Updated 09/10/18
• Additional NC OCME data and reports can be found at http://www.ocme.dhhs.nc.gov/annreport/index.shtml.

NC Harm Reduction Slides - Updated Monthly

• NC Harm Reduction Data Slides October 2019 (PDF, 4.4 MB)

County-Level Poisoning Data Tables

See the dashboard below for data on various types of poisoning at the county level. Please see the North Carolina Poisoning Surveillance Definitions (PDF, 207 KB) table for a detailed description of case definitions for each type of poisoning. All tables contain the most recent 10 years of data. If additional years of data are needed, please send a request.

• To navigate the dashboard, use the filter boxes at the bottom of the tables.
• The Source box allows you to switch between deaths, hospitalizations, Emergency Department, and population data.
• The View by County box will show all drug categories statewide, or by county selected.
• The View by Drug will show one drug category for all counties. When viewing the tables by drug, make your desired choices in the Intent and Drug boxes. This will display all 100 counties and state data.
• Use the Page navigator box in the bottom right to flip through all pages of data.
• If you wish to view data for only one county, change the View by County or Drug box to county, make your selections in the Intent and County boxes, and make sure the Page navigator box is set to page 1.
• Tables can be downloaded using the download icon below right of the data table.

• Please contact us with any questions.