Is drug overdose an epidemic?

The Drug Overdose Epidemic: Behind the Numbers More than 932,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. Nearly 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid.

When did the opioid epidemic began?

The first wave began with increased prescribing of opioids in the 1990s, with overdose deaths involving prescription opioids (natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone) increasing since at least 1999. The second wave began in 2010, with rapid increases in overdose deaths involving heroin.

How many people overdosed on opioids 2020?

Opioid overdose deaths: 68,630 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2020, a rate of 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people. This is a rate 38 percent higher than 2019 when 49,860 Americans died of opioid overdoses (15.5 deaths per 100,000).

What population is most affected by the opioid epidemic?

During the prescription opioid phase, drug-overdose mortality increased most among middle-aged men and women in both rural and urban areas, but more recently young men (ages 25-39) seem the most affected (figure 3).

How has the opioid epidemic affected communities?

The collateral consequences associated with the opioid epidemic—family members who suffer from substance-use disorder, parents lost to opioid overdose, diverted community resources, and the fraying of neighborhood social connections—have the potential to negatively impact the educational outcomes of children.

How do you fix an opioid epidemic?

What can policymakers do to combat the opioid epidemic?

  1. Limiting prescription opioids.
  2. Reducing the flow of illicit opioids.
  3. Promoting treatment.
  4. Reducing harm.

How can the opioid epidemic be stopped?

Policymakers can combat the opioid epidemic by: limiting inappropriate use of prescription opioids; reducing the flow of illicit opioids (like heroin); helping people seek treatment for opioid misuse; and.

How do you stop opioid epidemic?

improving access to treatment and recovery services. promoting use of overdose-reversing drugs. strengthening our understanding of the epidemic through better public health surveillance. providing support for cutting-edge research on pain and addiction.