evidence: - Between 2021 and 2022, the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths for males increased 1.1% from 45.1 to 45.6, while the rate for females decreased 1.0% from 19.6 to 19.4, although this decrease was not significant. [...] The age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths did not significantly increase from 2021 (32.4) to 2022 (32.6). In contrast, rates have significantly increased in most previous years. From 2019 to 2020, the drug overdose death rate increased 31.0% from 21.6 to 28.3, which was the largest annual increase over the period 2002–2022. [...] Drug poisoning (overdose) deaths: Includes deaths resulting from unintentional or intentional overdose of a drug, being given the wrong drug, taking a drug in error, or taking a drug inadvertently.