America’s opioid epidemic is now killing more than 100 people every day, fueling a public-health crisis that’s straining state and local resources – even forcing at least one Pennsylvania coroner to increase his freezer capacity to make room for all of the bodies.
And according to one recently published study, the epidemic may be killing more Americans than previously believed. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, suggests that certain states may have underestimated the rate of opioid- and heroin-related deaths, skewing national death totals by more than 20%. In 2014, the most recent year covered by the study, the rate of opioid-related deaths was, in reality, 24% higher than the official count.
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Meanwhile, data from the CDC released Tuesday show that drug overdose deaths peaked in the third quarter of last year, with 19.7 for every 100,000 people, compared with 16.7 in the same period the year before.
Trump signed an executive order in March creating a national opioid commission to recommend strategies for combating the crisis. The commission, which is being led by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, has already urged Trump to declare a national emergency to deal with the opioid crisis. A final list of recommendations is expected by Oct. 1.
“We will fight this deadly epidemic and the United States will win,” Trump said during a press briefing on Tuesday called to address the opioid epidemic. “We will win. We have no alternative.”
Discrepancies arise when death certificates don’t specify the class of drug, or the specific drug, responsible for a given death. In certain states, the corrected opioid-related death rates were significantly higher than what had previously been reported. In Pennsylvania, which had the highest discrepancy, the real rate was more than double the official rate, with deaths per 100,000 rising to 17.8 from 8.5. Indiana, Alabama, Louisiana and Kentucky were also guilty of “substantially” underreporting death rates.
According to government data, Pennsylvania had the 32nd highest reported opioid mortality rate and the 20th highest reported heroin mortality rate in the country. But the study found that nearly half of opioid and heroin-related deaths weren’t counted. When the data were corrected, Pennsylvania’s ranking rose to the fourth-highest opioid mortality rate, and seventh-highest heroin mortality rate.
The corrected data also yielded more “coherent” geographic patterns by eliminated discrepancies caused by quirks in how fatality data are collected in each state.
“Specifically, the corrected death rates demonstrate that opioid involved mortality was concentrated in the Mountain States, Rust Belt, and Industrial North—extending to New England—and much of the South, whereas heroin deaths were particularly high in the Northeast and Rust Belt, but less so in the South or Mountain States. The results were less apparent when using reported rates, because high mortality in states such as Pennsylvania and Indiana were concealed by a frequent lack of specificity about drug involvement on death certificates.”
The study, which analyzed data on drug-related deaths collected between 2008 and 2014, found that heroin-related deaths increased more rapidly in most states, except for Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Nationwide, the increase in heroin-involved mortality was underestimated by around 18%, while the change in opioid-related fatalities was negligible.
Drug-overdose deaths in 2015 killed 52,000 Americans, more than gun homicides or car accidents. Preliminary data suggest that number grew to nearly 60,000 in 2016. In one Ohio county, deaths from drug overdoses – the bulk of which were caused by powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl – surpassed deaths from homicides, suicides and car crashes combined.
And 2017 is expected to be even worse.
Read the full study below:
2017.08.08ajpmopiates by zerohedge on Scribd
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That’s what Duarte wants his police to do !
Duterte
I read somewhere that obama was quite the drug user in his day, he tried heroin but didn’t like his dealer.
Just think if he would have been addicted, sleeping under a bridge until……..
This was competely predicted when the examining bodys of hospitals came up with their idiotic “pain is the 5th vital sign” program, which sounds like the plan of a do-gooder with head up a$$. None of us in the profession though this was a good idea, but this was the edict of Hospital accrediting body. Pain is not a SIGN, it is a SYMPTOM. These 2 words have clear and specific meanings in the practice of Medicine. Anyone with 2 functioning brain cells was going to tell you that threatening ( yes, there were veiled threats ) highly educated Physicians because of some do- gooder social -I think this is a good idea – THEORY was not going to work out well. Now that the imbiciles have sewn the wind, they reap the whirlwind and beat their chest wondering how such a huge problem could have risen.
sown
A lot of things are worse than we thought.
Denninger actually hit one out of the park with his latest screed about Zuckerpig. I do believe it ties in with the opioid crisis as well as a great many other social travesties.
Well as I sit here in the hospital waiting to see my doctor those drugs have helped me function.A couple weeks ago I had what I hope is my last Hernia repair operation.Without those drugs I probably would not have been able to walk out of the hospital.So these pain killers do make life better for some of us.
There’s a difference between legitimate pain killing use in a hospital and illegitimate use of narcotic drugs -both pharmaceutical production and illegally manufactured- outside of the hospital for other reasons.
The problem isn’t the drugs themselves, it is where and why they are used that presents problems.
People get addicted to the prescription pain killers, then get cut off – still hopelessly addicted – and turn to illicit heroin to sate their addiction.
The medical presumption needs to be that people prescribed these medications will become addicted, and addressing the addiction must be made part of the medical process, rather than cutting off their prescription and leaving them to their own devices.
Take care of yourself and get well.
We already have a war on drugs. Will we have a special war on heroin? The war on cocaine worked out so well we should war on heroin.
the streets in NY are flooded with H cut with something, probably a Chinese substitute for elephant tranquilizer.
this stuff is ok when sniffed, but will kill you when you pop it into a vein.
I remember back in the early 70’s when there was another Heroin epidemic, Mad Magazine had a cover of a guy posing as a corpse with a needle still in his arm and the tag line was “in memory of those who died in vein”
History repeats.
anonymous.
You must be the smart one, are you aware there are 5 or 6 idiots saying bumb shit under your handle.
Anyway, I too remember that opiate scourge from it’s very inception and how ugly it was. It went unreported that it began soo after we took the opiate trade from the Frogs in Indochina.
This one began when we invaded Afghanistan and restarted the poppy production under the full protection of U.S. Armed Forces. Must be pure coincidence right? The original war on drugs was also started by a Republican, now we are re-declaring war on opiates under a Republican.
There is no difference between the 2 parties, I have a business in South Jersey where the Dems rule in all levels of the government in this area that I am operating , in last 3 years 5 of my employees have overdosed and died and nobody cares and nothing is being done to eliminate this scourge .[img]?[/img]
I’ve misplaced my sympathy.
You can find it in the dictionary… between shit & syphilis.
Close the southern border and napalm the poppy fields in Afghanistan. That’s a good start. Oops, I’m sorry, the deep state runs the heroin trade, can’t do that. Trump’s cabinet would have a shit fit. And the private prison complex would take a hit (yes, pun intended).
There are no old opiate addicts, have you noticed?
One could suspect this is yet another way they are trying to reduce our numbers. Not that I’m paranoid or anything.
What isn’t worse then reported these days?
In my hometown, the police have been reduced to just dealing with overdoses and administering narcan for the most part. Other crimes just go un-investigated. I haven’t lived there since the late 80’s, but my in-laws are still there with their heads in the sand about what is going on and won’t leave.
I agree with Miles Long. In my state many doctors state right up front that they will not prescribe any pain or anxiety medication. Yeah the Feds crack down on people who might really need pain medication and they are forced to go to the street. Somebody should sue the corporation that produced Fentanyl.
“In my hometown, the police have been reduced to just dealing with overdoses and administering narcan for the most part. Other crimes just go un-investigated.” Like what, trolling for traffic tickets (That’s all they do where I live).
It’s OK – eventually they will all OD – problem solved.
1) It isn’t an “epidemic” because it isn’t a disease.
2) You can’t “win” a war on an inanimate object, that’s just silly. And until the underlying cause has been addressed (and we aren’t even allowed to discuss it), never mind finding a solution.
3) See 1 & 2 above.
Here in Canuckistan the opioid crisis goes on unabated. Fentanyl is the big one. This drug is so powerful that just two grains, the size of icing sugar, can kill you. It is so bad that prison guards, and paramedics are being poisoned EVEN when wearing latex gloves when accidentally touching this stuff!! Narcan is the only antidote to this scourge. Unfortunately, this drug is finding it’s way into every aspect of society. Even members of society whom are held in high regard, are succumbing to this drug. It is usually added into whatever popular drug is on the street, to give that drug a big boost without the knowledge of those taking those drugs. Unfortunately for first line responders, this drug is a real threat, when trying to provide first aid.
I smell a big government funded scheme being hatched! The government will crack down and people who NEED painkillers won’t be able to get them and or will be redirected to government funded rehab clinics. The junkies will buy their drugs on the street and keep on over dosing.
I live in the epicenter of the opioid problem in Florida. More deaths in Manatee per capita than any other county. The reason is the state and DEA shut down the ‘pill mills’, licensed ( OK they were corrupt) places where those who wanted pills and could pay the monthly $200 Rx fee could get them. Sure people were faking it but they got pharmaceutical grade drugs where the dosage was known. They seldom overdosed unless they were committing suicide. The pill mills and their ( foreign ) doctors paid tax and there was no heroin or fentanyl problem.
Being hatched? This is already reality. I am a legitimate, responsible user of pain meds for over 20 years now. I’m not addicted in any way, 100 tablets will last me a year. It’s sure nice to be able to sleep when the weather changes. All the other crap for sleep/pain management had worse side effects than they were worth to me. The vikes are a little short acting but have no other adverse effects. I used to be able to get a scrip, if needed, without physically seeing my regular doctor. Pain meds cant be called in anymore. I’m now paying extra $$ for the scrip due to all the bullshit paperwork at the drug store. Then they cut the acetaminophen amount & it counts as a new formula so there’s no generic available yet. Now I see something coming about being referred to a pain clinic to get the scrip. We all know that will be for free… right? I’m unsure what street prices are, but if the over-regulation continues they might be cheaper & a whole lot less hassle to get.
I wonder how many ODs are intentional as opposed to accidental, legitimate users vs. junkies out for kicks. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of data on this. Life is full of choices, & some people make really bad ones. It sure sucks to be them, & it sure is an extra pain in the ass for me. Rant over.
Opioid crisis brought to you by the same people who brought you the (crack) cocaine crisis.
C
I
A
On one hand they used good, decent people like SSS to publicly fight the war on drugs while simultaneously supplying (and profiting) the shit through other channels.
Same shit is going on with the opium/heroin trade based in Afghanistan
Same as it ever was.
Obviously I’ve never died of a heroin overdose but I’ve done my share of the stuff. Based on that, I can only imagine that despite how a user may “appear”, they are only experiencing ecstasy and probably more so in an overdose situation, if they are aware at all.
more of this,less of that–
Underlying causes: Some people have an “Addictive Personality” who when doctors get them off of drug A, see them later hooked on drug B. I would have named it “Serial Stupidity” or “Pathological Moran”. When I was young and looking for sex, I met a girl who wanted drugs more than sex; I decided that the urge for sex was so hard to handle that I better not fuck with drugs.
Afganastan produces 80% of the worlds HERION . United States government spent $8.5 billion to eradicate poppie fields in 2016 . 2017 HERION production is up 20% and America has an epidemic ??? This is no accident the war on drugs is a bull shit federal jobs program and another way to milk the taxpayers for failures regardless of how much it costs ! Let them all OD soon there will be nobody left to use and DEA agents get laid off . I hear vacant malls need security guards $10 bucks and hour and Obama Care out of your pocket
I am keenly interested in the subject of pain management. as I am married to a long-term chronic pain sufferer. Now in her sixties and retired on permanent disability, I have been directly involved in her opioid pain management for many years. And I have seen the recent years’ increasing restrictions on their legal usage mandated by an American medical industry that now cowtows and is fearful of our federal government, in this, one of their newest wars – The War On Opioids.
And since America has a long list of failed wars, including Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and The War on Drugs – just to name a few – perhaps this war will ultimately fail as well. Who knows?
But regardless of whether the government or the pain sufferers win, like all wars, this one will have its victims. And the victims of this war are the people of all ages who are in chronic pain, and can no longer get from the medical industry what they need to manage their pain. People like my wife.
She’s the furthest thing from a drug addict, and has absolutely zero risk of ever overdosing. But now, because she does not have Stage Four Cancer (the only time the medical industry will now supposedly give anyone “enough” opioids to actually control and minimize pain), apparently the medical industry’s new idea of pain management, is just to let those in chronic pain suffer. How sad, and how unnecessary.
Now we’re constantly bombarded by the incessantly lying and propagandized mainstream news media with articles and reports about what an “epidemic” the opioid problem is in America. (“See in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”- former President Bush)
But when you look at the CDC’s own data, opioids don’t even make the Top 10 U.S. Cause of Death list.
According to the most recent CDC data, they list 823.7 deaths per 100,000 for all causes combined. The CDC chart 20 deaths per 100,000 because of the opioid “epidemic”. That’s about 0.02% of all causes of death.
So who cares? Well obviously our government certainly does. But I really don’t know why.
So how does 0.02% of deaths become an “epidemic”? I suppose it does by those people who just like you keep on repeating the epidemic “story”. . .you know, to catapult the propaganda. Because the CDC’s own data does not support your story.
And the take-away from all of this? Just remember the real victims of this fantasy War on Opioids. People like my wife.
Fred Smith
Pennsylvania USA