<p>A record number of Americans died from drug overdoses last year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>
<p>Data from the CDC&#8217;s <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm">National Vital Statistics System</a> for the year 2021 predicted that 107,622 Americans have died from drug overdoses. The data is not final, and could be under-reported because the data is not complete, but it would mark the largest number of Americans who have died from drug overdoses on record in a single year, and an increase of about 15% from 2020, when 93,655 people died from overdoses. Overdose deaths have also increased by about 50% since 2019 when around 72,000 people died of drug overdoses.</p>
<p>California led the nation in total overdose deaths, with 11,704 predicted deaths for the year 2021. Florida came in second, with 8,171 predicted deaths. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas all suffered more than 5,000 predicted deaths. North Carolina had over 4,000. Five states suffered more than 3,000 overdose deaths, 12 states had more than 2,000 deaths, and nine states had more than 1,000 deaths last year.</p>
<p>California also led the nation in year-over-year increases, with about 2,100 more deaths in 2021 than in 2020. In terms of largest year-over-year percentage change, Alaska led the nation with a 75% increase over 2020. Nearly every state saw an increase in overdose deaths, except Wyoming, which saw no change, and Hawaii, which saw a net decrease of 1.8%.</p>
<p>One drug policy experts cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a major reason behind the spike in overdose deaths.</p>
<p>“The pandemic really upended so many people’s lives, especially people already living at the margins,” Maritza Perez, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/11/drug-overdose-deaths-2021-record-00031709">Politico</a> Wednesday. “People lost their jobs, they were isolated. These are all factors that increase problematic drug use.”</p>
<p>Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), called the CDC&#8217;s numbers a “devastating milestone” and &#8220;truly staggering.&#8221;</p>
<p>Deaths involving synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, were responsible for a large share of the deaths, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/11/us/politics/overdose-deaths-fentanyl-meth.html">The New York Times</a> reported. The number of deaths involving synthetic opioids rose from 58,000 to 71,000, while deaths associated with stimulants like methamphetamine rose from 25,000 to 33,000.</p>
<p>The New York Times notes that fentanyl, which comes as a white powder, is becoming more prevalent because it can be mixed with other drugs, including other opioids like heroin, and pressed into counterfeit pills for other drugs.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2022/03/law-enforcement-seizures-of-pills-containing-fentanyl-increased-dramatically-between-2018-2021">study</a> of illicit pills seized by law enforcement agencies, conducted by the NIDA, found that the number of illicit pills containing fentanyl saw a nearly fifty-fold increase between 2018 and 2021. The study found that about 290,000 pills were seized in 2018. That number increased to over 9,500,000 pills in 2021.</p>
<p>“The net effect is that we have many more people, including those who use drugs occasionally and even adolescents, exposed to these potent substances that can cause someone to overdose even with a relatively small exposure,” Volkow told the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/overdose-deaths-opioids-fentanyl-8cb302a70ddbb6a435f9e8fbb19f153b">Associated Press</a>.</p>
<p>“Compounding the tragedy, we have underused treatments that could help many people,&#8221; Volkow added, according to Politico. &#8220;We must meet people where they are to prevent overdoses, reduce harm, and connect people to proven treatments to reduce drug use.”</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Record Number Of Americans Died From Drug Overdoses in 2021, CDC Data Show

CONTINUE READING

Comer Says He ‘Can’t Track Down The Informant’ In Biden Family Investigation

Autistic Grocery Clerk Fired From California Supermarket After He Was Violently Assaulted Three Separate Times: Report

Justice Is…Bovine? Herd Of Cows Helps Round Up Criminal In North Carolina

Gavin Newsom’s Revised Budget Will Make California’s Budget Deficit Worse, Even As State Mulls Enormous Reparations Package

Oklahoma Police Run Toward To Cries For ‘Help’, Coming From A Very Upset Goat

California’s Reparations Committee Wants State To Apologize For Ronald Reagan Coining ‘Welfare Queens.’ Except, He Didn’t.

News

Death

Drugs

Fentanyl

Methamphetamine

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Record Number Of Americans Died From Drug Overdoses in 2021, CDC Data Show