Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

How does it change


SHARE

Accidental deaths are up in the United States, and the leading cause may surprise many people: It's drug overdoses, according to a new report.

Drug overdose deaths have doubled in the past 14 years and now more people die from accidental overdoses than in road accidents in most U.S. states, the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation find in their report issued Wednesday.

Injuries kill 193,000 Americans a year and they are the leading cause of death for people aged up to 44, the report finds.

Drug overdoses killed 44,000 people in 2013. "More than half of these deaths (51.8 percent) were related to prescription drugs, with more than 16,000 deaths related to prescription painkillers, and nearly 7,000 related to anxiety and sleep medications," the report reads.
8 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
So Sad!! Thank you for sharing! It really makes you think long and hard!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
We loose someone every 14 minutes to overdoses.  It's a leading cause of death
Helpful - 0
495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
I saw this on the news the other night.  How sad it is~
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I honestly think the maintenance drugs like methadone and suboxone are a big reason for the jump in overdoses.  Either users try to take extra because they can't feel the drug because its being blocked by the maintenance drug, or they stop the maintenance drug so they can feel the high of opiates and don't realize their tolerance is much lower and end up taking too much and dying.

We also live in a more medicated society and the if you look hard enough on the internet you can get pills without leaving your house.
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
There are  obituaries  in our local paper seems almost daily.
Usually of a young person Who died suddenly.
No illness, no car accident. Definitely drug overdose.
It's tragic.
I personally have known dozens of young people who were friends and acquaintances of my older children in the surrounding towns who died of drug related causes.
Suicide, overdose, car accidents.
It has reached epidemic proportions.
We need to reach them.
We need to give them hope.
That there is freedom from the chains and bondage of addiction.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
One of our best friends lost his 38 year old wife a year ago to an accidental overdose. She was prescribed pills from pain management for some legitimate issues but began, as oftens so very much, taking more than prescribed. She had oxy, Percocet and Soma in her system, as our friend had is read the autopsy report because he could not bare to. Even THAT was not enough, at the time, to make me stop. I cut back but i did not stop. My husband was terrified it would be me and it makes me sick that I put him through that. I hope things start to change; so incredibly sad.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Two young men here in my town died last month, on the same night.  They were snorting heroin cut with Fentanyl.  

When I start sharing with someone about my own struggles with pain meds, at least 75% of the time, they have had a problem or a close family member has.  

It's like 1970 all over again...
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
SO SAD!!!
When any Celebrity ODS it is all over the news, bringing attention to many. Prescription pain killers and other meds are killing many. It is on the top and has been for awhile now.

This is why the Drs are getting so tight about giving out Addicting drugs, as the Government is putting a tight squeeze on things now.  Tons of Drs in my town are cutting peoples scrips back and taking some of the meds away too.
They will not give someone 2 different types of pain meds and the Benzos are real hard to get. They also are cutting back on how many pills in one day you can have.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

Top Addiction Answerers
495284 tn?1333894042
City of Dominatrix, MN
Avatar universal
phoenix, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.