The Staggering Cost of the Illicit Opioid Epidemic in the United States – The White House

A White House report estimates the 2023 cost of the US opioid epidemic, primarily driven by fentanyl, at $2.7 trillion (9.7% of GDP). This includes $1.1 trillion in lost lives, $1.34 trillion in reduced quality of life for those with opioid use disorder, and $277 billion in healthcare, lost productivity, and crime-related costs. The report updates previous estimates by incorporating the sharp rise in deaths and opioid use disorder since 2017, highlighting the devastating economic and human impact of the crisis, largely fueled by fentanyl smuggled from China via Mexico.