US reports more than 100,000 overdose deaths in one year

More than 100,000 people died of overdose in the United States in one year, a record death toll that underscores the war on drugs’ continued failure to keep the nation safe.

During the 12-month period ending April 2021, 100,306 Americans died from drug overdoses, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Federal officials point to the coronavirus pandemic and the proliferation of powerful synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, as leading drivers of the surge in overdose deaths over the past two years.

“These are numbers that we have never seen before,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, The New York Times. Regarding the number of people behind the statistics, Volkow found that the majority of deaths occurred in people between the ages of 25 and 55.

“They leave friends, family and children behind when they have children, so there are many downstream consequences,” said Dr. Volkow. “This is a great challenge for our society.”

Overdose deaths add to the number of Covid-19

During the same period, around 509,000 died of Covid-19 in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University, while millions remained in isolation due to quarantines and business closings. Volkow pointed out that the pandemic also led to border closings, making smuggling of powerful synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, easier than naturally produced, but less effective and therefore bulkier drugs like morphine and heroin.

“What we are seeing is the impact of these crisis patterns and the emergence of more dangerous drugs at much lower prices,” Volkow told CNN. “In a crisis of this magnitude, those who are already on medication may take higher amounts and those who are recovering may relapse. It is a phenomenon that we have seen and perhaps could have predicted. “

The new data, representing the deaths from May 2020 to April 2021, reflects a 28.5 percent increase in the number of fatal overdoses in the United States compared to the same period a year earlier and the first deaths of 100,000 in a year . Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, increased 49 percent year over year and contributed to the vast majority (64 percent) of overdose deaths. Stimulants like methamphetamines were responsible for about a quarter of overdose deaths, up 48 percent from the previous year. The data also shows a more modest increase in the number of overdose deaths caused by natural opioids, cocaine, and prescription drugs.

Dr. Volkow said that while some drug users intentionally look for fentanyl, others “may not want to take it. But that’s sold and the risk of overdosing is very high. “

The pandemic also decreased the availability and accessibility of substance use disease treatment. If the country reopens and life returns to normal, overdose deaths are likely to remain high if access to drug treatment and other interventions is not improved, experts say.

“Even if Covid were gone tomorrow, we would still have a problem. What will have an impact is a dramatic improvement in access to treatment, ”said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, medical director for opioid policy research at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

“These are deaths in people with a preventable, treatable disease. The United States continues to fail on both fronts, preventing opioid addiction as well as treating addiction, ”he continued, adding that President Joe Biden should keep his campaign promises to address the ongoing opioid crisis.

Access to treatment saves lives

The White House’s Bureau of National Drug Control Policy on Wednesday released a model law to serve as a guide for states to pass laws that improve access to naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse opioid overdoses. Other drugs, including buprenorphine, may be prescribed to help people with opioid use disorder, but access to the drugs is often limited. In October, the U.S. Department of Health released a plan to combat drug overdoses, including federal support for harm reduction and recovery services and regulations that remove barriers to drug abuse treatment.

“If we really want to get around the corner, we have to get to a point where treatment for opioid addiction is more accessible than fentanyl, heroin, or prescription opioids,” said Kolodny.

Beth Connolly, director of the Pew Charitable Trusts Drug Prevention and Treatment Initiative, said improved access to drug treatment and emergency intervention can help reduce the rise in overdose deaths.

“The evidence is really clear that using drugs to treat opioid addiction disorder saves lives,” Connolly said. “As we see increasing evidence that (drugs) save lives, hopefully this will reduce stigma and categorization in favor of helping individuals.”