New Fed Report on U.S. Soaring Drug Overdose and Death Rates; Worst Age Bracket: 45 to 54 Years

PRESS RELEASE

New Fed Report on U.S. Soaring Drug Overdose and Death Rates; Worst Age Bracket: 45 to 54 Years

Feb. 25, 2017 (EIRNS)—The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday issued some updates to its earlier report on drug overdosing and death rates for the period 1999 through 2015. Overall, the age group for the highest rate of drug overdose deaths is in adults aged 45 to 54. Moreover, several states had much higher rates than the national average. They include three in the Ohio Valley—Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

The updated report stresses that, although opioids are rampant and lethal, heroin remains foremost. In 2010, roughly 8% of all drug overdose deaths were from herion; but in only five years, this shot up to 25%.

The local and regional reports are horrifying. In Baltimore, for example, the hospital system is trying to deal with addicted newborns. The Feb. 18 Baltimore Sun reported in a front page feature, "More Babies Born with Drugs in Their Bodies," that,

"The number of babies born in Maryland with opiates, alcohol, narcotics or other drugs in their systebms has increased 56.6% in the last nine years to 1,419 cases in 2015, the latest numbers available."