The rate of drug overdose deaths among Black Americans increased significantly in 2020, more than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. The proliferation of fentanyl in the Black community played a major role in this increase. A CDC report showed that Black Americans died from fentanyl overdoses at far higher rates than white or Hispanic people in 2021. Experts believe that this upsurge of overdose deaths is rooted in racial disparities in opioid policies and the healthcare system.