Published: 06/24/2026 | Author: Eric Owens

Nearly half of the people who died of a drug overdose in Indiana had recently filled a prescription for a controlled medication. This finding points to missed chances to reach people living with opioid addiction. The data comes from a new Indiana Department of Health report covering 2022 through 2024.

The Hoosier State boasts many programs for those impacted by substance abuse, from local Narcotics Anonymous chapters to modern inpatient facilities. Still, many people, especially mothers, fall through the cracks. For families and clinicians, the takeaway is hopeful in one sense. Many victims were in contact with the health care system not long before they died. Each of those contacts is a chance to step in.

The Opioid Crisis Among Hoosiers

The state linked death records to its prescription monitoring database, INSPECT, and reviewed 6,549 overdose deaths. It found that 47% of those who died had filled a prescription for a controlled opioid, benzodiazepine, or stimulant within the year before death.

The timing was tight. Among people who had a controlled prescription, 67% had filled it within 90 days of their fatal overdose. State health officials describe that narrow window as a high-stakes opportunity for providers to intervene.

The Prescription Data

Among those who filled a controlled prescription in their final year, 58% received opioids, 36% got benzodiazepines, 36% received buprenorphine as a medication for opioid use disorder, and 11% had stimulants. More than 35% were prescribed more than one drug class at the same time, with the most common pairing being opioid pain relievers with benzodiazepines at 39%.

Measured by how often medications were dispensed, buprenorphine was actually the single most commonly filled controlled substance (40.2%), followed by oxycodone and hydrocodone. 

That reflects how clinicians refilled buprenorphine for folks in ongoing treatment, not that the medication causes overdoses. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based treatment that lowers overdose risk; its frequent appearance here signals how many people participated with care.

Across every drug class the state looked at, the median time between the last prescription pickup and death was under two months.

Opioids, Overdose  What to Do About It

Opioids include prescription pain medications, as well as illicit drugs like heroin and illegally made fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far stronger than heroin and now drives much of the overdose crisis. Mixing opioids with benzodiazepines is especially risky because both slow breathing, which raises the chance of a fatal overdose.

The state urges clinicians to follow CDC prescribing guidance and screen patients for mental health conditions. Officials also advocate for naloxone, popularly known as Narcan, to people at risk, especially anyone taking opioids and benzodiazepines together. Naloxone can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and is available without a prescription in most places.

For people living with opioid addiction, MAT is among the most effective options and is supported by strong evidence. Peer support through Narcotics Anonymous helps many people as well. These paths don’t compete, as people often combine medication, therapy and regularly attend NA meetings.

Help for Opioid Addiction in Indiana

When substance dependency takes hold, life often becomes a cycle of violence and despair. But there’s always hope, no matter your background or life circumstances. Enrolling in NA is often the first step towards a long recovery. Meetings are free, confidential, and attended by your peers.

Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) to speak with a specialist, or browse our directory for NA chapters anywhere in the USA.