A new CDC MMWR Notes from the Field publication examines fatal drug overdoses that occurred in hotels and motels in the United States during 2022–2024. In 2024, across 43 jurisdictions with enhanced overdose death data, more than 2,000 fatal drug overdoses occurred in hotels or motels, making them the second most common location type after houses or apartments.
Using data from CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) dashboard, the analysis found that 9,651 fatal overdoses occurred in hotels or motels during 2022–2024 across 47 participating jurisdictions. More than half of these deaths, among people with known county of residence, occurred in the person’s county of residence, suggesting that local overdose prevention resources may be important in these settings.
The findings point to several prevention opportunities, including working with hotel and motel operators, training staff to recognize overdoses and administer naloxone, sharing information about Good Samaritan laws, and making overdose reversal kits and local substance use disorder treatment information available in common areas.
Read the publication:Notes from the Field: Fatal Drug Overdoses in Hotels and Motels — United States, 2022–2024.