Polysubstance Involvement in Opioid Overdose Deaths in Adolescents and Young Adults, 1999-2018

From 1999 to 2016, opioid-related mortality among adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 25 years (referred to as youth) increased 3-fold. 1 Opioid overdose deaths in adult populations often involve other substances, particularly benzodiazepines and, increasingly, stimulants. 2,3 Little is known about polysubstance involvement in opioid overdose deaths among youth. In this cross-sectional study, we examined national trends in polysubstance-involved opioid overdose deaths among youth in the US.