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U.S. NEWS Thursday 18 July 2019

Number of U.S. overdose deaths appears to be falling

By MIKE STOBBE involving a different opioid, ing more deaths than pre-
AP Medical Writer fentanyl, as well as other scription painkillers or other
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. over- drugs such cocaine and drugs. In 2016, fentanyl and
dose deaths last year likely methamphetamines. Over- its close cousins became
fell for the first time in nearly dose deaths often involve the biggest drug killer, and
three decades, preliminary more than one drug. in 2018 they were involved
numbers suggest. The improvement is not uni- in about 46% of the report-
The Centers for Disease form: Some states seem to ed overdose deaths, ac-
Control and Prevention on be making dramatic prog- cording to the preliminary
Wednesday posted data ress, while deaths continue CDC data.
showing nearly 68,000 drug to rise in others. The prelimi- Strategies to reduce drug
overdose deaths were re- nary CDC data suggested overdose deaths have in-
ported last year. The num- deaths last year were cluded tougher policing,
ber may go up as more down by as many as 1,000 treatment program expan-
investigations are com- or more in Ohio and Penn- sions, policies to limit opioid In this April 5, 2019, file photo, containers depicting OxyContin
pleted, but the agency ex- sylvania — each seeing de- painkiller prescriptions and prescription pill bottles lie on the ground in front of the Depart-
pects the tally will end up clines of about 20%. Mean- wider distribution of the ment of Health and Human Services' headquarters in Washing-
below 69,000. while, deaths increased overdose-reversing drug ton as protesters demonstrate against the FDA's opioid prescrip-
tion drug approval practices.
Overdose deaths had by about 17% in Missouri, naloxone.q Associated Press
been climbing each year which had more than 200
since 1990, topping 70,000 additional deaths.
in 2017. It can take months for au-
The numbers were cel- thorities to complete toxi-
ebrated by the U.S. secre- cology tests and other el-
tary of health and human ements of a death investi-
services. "Lives are being gation involving drugs. And
saved, and we're begin- some states report faster
ning to win the fight against than others. The CDC is
this crisis," Alex Azar wrote in expected to report more
a tweet. complete data later this
But the overdose death year.
rate is still about seven The current overdose epi-
times higher than it was a demic has killed more peo-
generation ago. ple than any other in U.S.
"We're still in a pretty sad history, and it had been on
situation that we need to a soaring trajectory. From
address," said Rebecca 2014 to 2017, overdose
Haffajee, a University of deaths jumped by 5,000 or
Michigan researcher. more each year.
Researchers do not believe Experts trace the epidem-
this is the start of a dramat- ic's origins to 1995 and the
ic decline. Data from the marketing of the prescrip-
first months of this year likely tion painkiller OxyContin.
will show that the decrease It was meant be safer and
is not gaining steam, said more effective than other
Farida Ahmad of the CDC's prescription opioids, but
National Center for Health some patients got hooked
Statistics. and found they could
The improvement was driv- crush the tablets and snort
en by a drop in deaths from or inject them to get high.
heroin and prescription Gradually, many turned to
painkillers. Those falls were cheaper street drugs such
offset somewhat by con- as heroin and fentanyl. In
tinuing growth in deaths 2015, heroin began caus-