Drug Overdoses Killed A Record Number Of Americans In 2020, Jumping By Nearly 30%

(NPR, July 14) Last year, more than 93,000 Americans died as a result of a drug overdose, according to new preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This number is more than 30% of 2019’s total. 

Officials believe pandemic stress as well as the strong synthetic opioid fentanyl are behind the sharp rise. 

"This has been an incredibly uncertain and stressful time for many people, and we are seeing an increase in drug consumption, difficulty in accessing lifesaving treatments for substance use disorders and a tragic rise in overdose deaths," Dr. Nora Volkow, who serves as director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told the news service. 

According to the data, 10 states saw a 40% jump in fatal overdoses compared to the previous 12 months. Those states are Vermont, Kentucky, South Carolina, West Virginia, Louisiana, California, Tennessee, Nebraska, Arkansas and Virginia. Read more.