America’s addiction to opioids

Every day, more than 115 Americans die after overdosing on opioids – including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl – according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse


1990s: Drugmakers reassure public that patients will not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers

2009: 12% of population use opioid analgesics

2012: 259 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers

2012: 46 deaths per day


U.S. drug overdose deaths (latest figure for 12 months ending August 2017)
67,344
All drug overdoses
Opioids

70
60						45,000
50
40
30	16,849
20
10
0	8,077
99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17


Sources: NIDA, CDC, Mayo Clinic 
Picture: Associated Press
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