
In a massive and shocking new discovery from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, scientists have found a disturbing trend in drug overdoses.
An alarming new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding fatal drug overdoses in the United States shows that they ahve more than doubled since 1999, beating out suicide and car accidents as a cause of death in 2015. The data comes from the National Vital Statistics System, and it shows drug trends over a 16-year period.
The CDC report found that the rates of fatal drug overdoses have risen from 6.1 deaths per 100,000 people to 16.3 in 2015. That means it is more common than suicides, which is at 13.4 deaths per 100,000, and deaths from car accidents, which stands at 11.1.
The deaths from opioid overdoses are even more alarming, as the rates of those have quadrupled over that period, killing 33,000 people in 2015. The CDC estimates that 91 people die every day from an overdose of opioids.
The study found that people in their mid 40s and in their 60s had the highest tendency to die from a drug overdose, but the problem affected all age groups.
“The increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose is alarming,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. in a statement accompanying last year’s report. “The opioid epidemic is devastating American families and communities. To curb these trends and save lives, we must help prevent addiction and provide support and treatment to those who suffer from opioid use disorders. This report also shows how important it is that law enforcement intensify efforts to reduce the availability of heroin, illegal fentanyl, and other illegal opioids.”
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