U.S. Rx Overdoses Increased by More Than 16% Last Year
Deaths related to heroin and prescription drug overdoses in the U.S. increased last year, according to the latest data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. According to the data, 47,055 U.S. residents died of drug overdoses last year, up 7% from 2013. Of those deaths, 18,893 resulted from an overdose related to prescription opioid use, marking an increase of 16.3% from 2013.
- "Deaths From Heroin Overdoses Surged in 2014" (Bernstein, "To Your Health," Washington Post, 12/12).