Drug Abuse Death Toll Rises to nearly 40,000

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A Prescription for Addiction and Death

In a recent report by the Dept of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug related deaths are now more common than either alcohol or firearms related fatalities.

According to the recent official CDC report, 38,371 deaths were drug related, just in the U.S. All drugs, including illicit or street drugs (such as heroin or cocaine), and legal prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs were counted, but not alcohol.

The vast majority of deaths are attributable to prescription medication overdoses and drug poisoning deaths. Suicidal drug poisoning and drug poisoning of undetermined intent comprising the majority of the remainder.

According to the resort, during the 1980s and 1990s, the majority of drug-induced deaths were attributable to illicit drugs (e.g., heroin and cocaine), drug-induced mortality rates were higher among blacks than whites. However, in 2002, rates for whites surpassed those for blacks.

This change occurred as prescription drugs, especially prescription opioid painkillers and psychotherapeutic drugs, were prescribed more widely by physicians. Prescribed drugs eventually supplanted illicit drugs as the leading cause of drug related overdose deaths.

Statistical Summations

The number of male victims far exceeded females by nearly 2 to 1.

For males, the highest rates were among non-Hispanic blacks or non-Hispanic whites each year.

Drug-induced mortality rate increases were greatest for non-Hispanic whites.

Asians and Pacific Islanders had markedly lower rates than all other groups.

For females, the highest rates were among American Indians and Alaskan Natives, for every year.

The studies of primarily white populations report that drug related overdose death rates are highest among low-income persons.

Conclusions

The report concluded that physicians should follow existing guidelines for cautious use of prescription drugs that tend to be misused by patients. Regulations designed to prevent illicit use of prescription drugs need to be strengthened and enforced. Persons who misuse prescription drugs should be identified and receive a referral for substance abuse treatment.