Issues@Hand

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September 2017 – Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50, with an increase of 19% from 2015 to 2016, according to preliminary estimates based on research gathered by the New York Times in June. Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Maine have experienced the greatest increases.

“If you look at how many people die in the country [annually] from opiate overdose, we’re looking at the same number of casualties as the entire Vietnam conflict,” said Thomas Gilson, medical examiner for Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

Drug overdose deaths in 2016 likely topped 59,000 while Vietnam War casualties totaled 58,200. The overdoses are tied to drugs such as heroin, the opioid fentanyl, and even prescription painkillers.

Ohio filed suit in May against five prescription drug companies, saying they knowingly downplay the risks of addiction. Over 95 million Americans took prescription pain relievers in 2015, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Final reports on the 2016 data will be released in December, and overdoses are expected to continue to rise in 2017.

cbsnews.com, 6/6/17; nytimes.com, 6/5/17