The Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) now reports that 107,622 people died from a drug overdose in 2021.
That’s up 15% from 2020 when 93,655 people died from that cause.
Deaths involving opioids also jumped 15% in 2021, rising from 70,029 in 2020 to 80,816 in 2021.
And according to the latest data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, close to 21 million Americans struggle with substance abuse disorder.
Adding to the grim news, in 2020, overdose deaths among adolescents nearly doubled and then rose another 20% in the first part of 2021. Fentanyl caused three-quarters of those deaths, with other opioids driving another six percent.
Making matters worse, experts in the field don’t believe we can expect to see improvements in these numbers in this decade. Projections suggest as many as 1.2 million Americans will die from an opioid overdose over the next seven years.
Can anything reverse this stunning trend?
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the AMA are responding to these frightful numbers with a range of new initiatives, including a first-ever SAMHSA Harm Reduction grant program that will release $30 million in grant awards ($10 million per year over the next three years). These grants will seek to increase access to community harm reduction services.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol and need help in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, or Indiana, the recovery teams at Aware Recovery Care are here to help. Our unique model of care gives clients a significantly better chance of recovery when compared to traditional inpatient rehab care. Please get in touch with one of our Recovery Specialists to learn more.
Photo by Luis Galvez on Unsplash
