Stacker Studio

Counties where the most opioids are dispensed in Michigan

Written by:
September 22, 2023
Canva

This story originally appeared on Ophelia and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Counties where the most opioids are dispensed in Michigan

When Purdue Pharma first began sales of OxyContin in the late 1990s, it was advertised as relief for cancer patients and people with chronic pain. Aggressive marketing fueled the drug's popularity, along with that of other opioid pain management drugs on the market. But as the company touted OxyContin to physicians, it downplayed the drug's addictiveness, according to confidential Justice Department reports obtained by news organizations, leading to widespread use that has fueled an opioid epidemic across the U.S.

More than 645,000 people have died from opioid-related overdoses between 1999 and 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provisional data shows just under 80,000 people died in 2022 alone.

Opioid prescriptions have decreased dramatically over the past decade as physicians and public health officials learned about the dangers of OxyContin and other opioids prescribed for pain management. In 2020, the most recent year with data available, the national opioid dispense rate reached 43.3 per 100 people, the lowest rate ever recorded.

A 2022 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that counties with higher dispensing rates had more cases of opioid misuse and dependence. The study suggested that reducing prescriptions at the local level can lower a community's rate of opioid abuse or misuse.

Other studies, however, have suggested that decreasing prescriptions may have fueled a new phase of the opioid epidemic: the rise of synthetics like fentanyl. In 2020, synthetics accounted for 82% of all opioid deaths.

It's also important to note that, as awareness has grown about the dangers of dispensing opioid prescription painkillers, more health care professionals are also prescribing medications like Suboxone–which contains buprenorphine and naloxone—for the treatment of addiction and opioid use disorders. While Suboxone is also an opioid medication, it works differently than typical opioid painkillers, blocking the effects of more powerful and addictive opioids to deter intentional misuse.

Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ophelia broke down counties in every state with the highest opioid dispense rates. In the case of a tie, the county with the higher population and higher raw number is ranked higher. Data was available for 98% of counties in the United States. Overall in Michigan, the opioid dispensing rate was 54.4 per 100 people, compared to 43.3 nationally.

Read the national story for additional historical context and see where other counties outside of Michigan stand.

1 / 50
Canva

#50. Charlevoix County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 35.1 per 100 people
--- 35.5% lower than state average
--- 18.9% lower than national average

2 / 50
Canva

#49. Van Buren County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 35.7 per 100 people
--- 34.4% lower than state average
--- 17.6% lower than national average

3 / 50
Canva

#48. Baraga County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 36.3 per 100 people
--- 33.3% lower than state average
--- 16.2% lower than national average

4 / 50
David Lingholm // Shutterstock

#47. Monroe County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 37.2 per 100 people
--- 31.6% lower than state average
--- 14.1% lower than national average

5 / 50
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

#46. Lenawee County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 38.9 per 100 people
--- 28.5% lower than state average
--- 10.2% lower than national average

6 / 50
Canva

#45. Iron County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 39.5 per 100 people
--- 27.4% lower than state average
--- 8.8% lower than national average

7 / 50
Gary R Ennis Photos // Shutterstock

#44. Kalkaska County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 39.9 per 100 people
--- 26.7% lower than state average
--- 7.9% lower than national average

8 / 50
Canva

#43. Jackson County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 40.2 per 100 people
--- 26.1% lower than state average
--- 7.2% lower than national average

9 / 50
Canva

#42. Benzie County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 41.0 per 100 people
--- 24.6% lower than state average
--- 5.3% lower than national average

10 / 50
Darlene Stanley // Shutterstock

#41. Roscommon County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 41.7 per 100 people
--- 23.3% lower than state average
--- 3.7% lower than national average

11 / 50
Fsendek // Shutterstock

#40. Tuscola County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 41.8 per 100 people
--- 23.2% lower than state average
--- 3.5% lower than national average

12 / 50
Canva

#39. Luce County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 41.9 per 100 people
--- 23.0% lower than state average
--- 3.2% lower than national average

13 / 50
Susan Sea // Shutterstock

#38. Clare County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 42.1 per 100 people
--- 22.6% lower than state average
--- 2.8% lower than national average

14 / 50
Canva

#37. Oceana County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 42.4 per 100 people
--- 22.1% lower than state average
--- 2.1% lower than national average

15 / 50
Canva

#36. Mackinac County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 42.6 per 100 people
--- 21.7% lower than state average
--- 1.6% lower than national average

16 / 50
Canva

#35. Berrien County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 42.7 per 100 people
--- 21.5% lower than state average
--- 1.4% lower than national average

17 / 50
Canva

#34. Dickinson County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 43.1 per 100 people
--- 20.8% lower than state average
--- 0.5% lower than national average

18 / 50
Canva

#33. Schoolcraft County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 45.6 per 100 people
--- 16.2% lower than state average
--- 5.3% higher than national average

19 / 50
Canva

#32. Antrim County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 46.4 per 100 people
--- 14.7% lower than state average
--- 7.2% higher than national average

20 / 50
Canva

#31. Gogebic County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 47.1 per 100 people
--- 13.4% lower than state average
--- 8.8% higher than national average

21 / 50
Fsendek // Shutterstock

#30. Montcalm County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 47.7 per 100 people
--- 12.3% lower than state average
--- 10.2% higher than national average

22 / 50
Canva

#29. Mason County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 48.6 per 100 people
--- 10.7% lower than state average
--- 12.2% higher than national average

23 / 50
Canva

#28. Ontonagon County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 49.5 per 100 people
--- 9.0% lower than state average
--- 14.3% higher than national average

24 / 50
Canva

#27. Midland County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 50.6 per 100 people
--- 7.0% lower than state average
--- 16.9% higher than national average

25 / 50
Canva

#26. Cheboygan County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 51.6 per 100 people
--- 5.1% lower than state average
--- 19.2% higher than national average

26 / 50
Canva

#25. Alpena County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 52.4 per 100 people
--- 3.7% lower than state average
--- 21.0% higher than national average

27 / 50
Canva

#24. Iosco County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 53.9 per 100 people
--- 0.9% lower than state average
--- 24.5% higher than national average

28 / 50
Canva

#23. Macomb County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 54.0 per 100 people
--- 0.7% lower than state average
--- 24.7% higher than national average

29 / 50
Canva

#22. Wayne County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 55.7 per 100 people
--- 2.4% higher than state average
--- 28.6% higher than national average

30 / 50
Canva

#21. Saint Clair County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 56.3 per 100 people
--- 3.5% higher than state average
--- 30.0% higher than national average

31 / 50
Canva

#20. Marquette County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 57.4 per 100 people
--- 5.5% higher than state average
--- 32.6% higher than national average

32 / 50
Canva

#19. Delta County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 58.3 per 100 people
--- 7.2% higher than state average
--- 34.6% higher than national average

33 / 50
Canva

#18. Manistee County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 58.6 per 100 people
--- 7.7% higher than state average
--- 35.3% higher than national average

34 / 50
Canva

#17. Kent County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 59.6 per 100 people
--- 9.6% higher than state average
--- 37.6% higher than national average

35 / 50
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

#16. Wexford County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 62.9 per 100 people
--- 15.6% higher than state average
--- 45.3% higher than national average

36 / 50
Canva

#15. Calhoun County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 63.6 per 100 people
--- 16.9% higher than state average
--- 46.9% higher than national average

37 / 50
Canva

#14. Kalamazoo County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 64.7 per 100 people
--- 18.9% higher than state average
--- 49.4% higher than national average

38 / 50
Canva

#13. Muskegon County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 66.5 per 100 people
--- 22.2% higher than state average
--- 53.6% higher than national average

39 / 50
Bernie Parsons // Shutterstock

#12. Bay County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 66.6 per 100 people
--- 22.4% higher than state average
--- 53.8% higher than national average

40 / 50
Canva

#11. Oakland County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 69.7 per 100 people
--- 28.1% higher than state average
--- 61.0% higher than national average

41 / 50
Agnieszka Gaul // Shutterstock

#10. Washtenaw County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 70.2 per 100 people
--- 29.0% higher than state average
--- 62.1% higher than national average

42 / 50
Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

#9. Mecosta County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 73.2 per 100 people
--- 34.6% higher than state average
--- 69.1% higher than national average

43 / 50
Canva

#8. Genesee County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 73.2 per 100 people
--- 34.6% higher than state average
--- 69.1% higher than national average

44 / 50
Canva

#7. Ingham County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 73.4 per 100 people
--- 34.9% higher than state average
--- 69.5% higher than national average

45 / 50
Canva

#6. Crawford County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 75.8 per 100 people
--- 39.3% higher than state average
--- 75.1% higher than national average

46 / 50
Jeff Caverly // Shutterstock

#5. Ogemaw County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 78.2 per 100 people
--- 43.8% higher than state average
--- 80.6% higher than national average

47 / 50
Canva

#4. Saginaw County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 80.2 per 100 people
--- 47.4% higher than state average
--- 85.2% higher than national average

48 / 50
Canva

#3. Grand Traverse County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 81.3 per 100 people
--- 49.4% higher than state average
--- 87.8% higher than national average

49 / 50
Canva

#2. Emmet County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 105.3 per 100 people
--- 93.6% higher than state average
--- 143.2% higher than national average

50 / 50
Canva

#1. Otsego County

- Opioid dispensing rate: 111.5 per 100 people
--- 105.0% higher than state average
--- 157.5% higher than national average

Trending Now