It is not news that America faces a serious drug overdose problem. Millions of Americans do drugs and are addicted to various substances. While the American government works hard to deal with the problem, there is certainly a lot more that needs to be done to realize some significant improvements. And to make a bad situation worse, there is new evidence to show that the problem is getting much more serious than most people would have ever anticipated.
A 2017 study shows that the number of people who died of substance abuse increased by close to 20 percent between 2015 and 2016. With this new data, drug overdose may just be leading cause of death for people below the age of 50 in America.
While the exact number of casualties from drug overdose may not be availability instantly, statistics from hundreds of health departments and counties show this overwhelming increase in drug overdose related deaths. The statistics compiled by the New York Times shows a drastic increase in deaths due to drug overdose in east coast states like Maryland, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Maine. Ohio is noted to be particularly hit hard with an estimated 25 percent increase in drug overdose deaths in 2016.
With latest data in 2017 showing opioid use still very common, researchers fear the problem may just be getting more serious. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, notes that more than 2 million people in America depend on opioids, and at least 95 million consumed prescription painkillers in 2016. All these go to confirm that the drug overdose problem is indeed real in America, and resources must be mobilized to sort the problem. Health experts warn that should this trend continue, America could suffer from a drug overdose crisis that may be nearly impossible to solve.