The Problem

Controlled prescription drugsopioids written on caution sign

The abuse of prescription medication has been a serious issue in the state for a while. But now, unfortunately, users are turning to the cheaper and more potent opioids heroin and fentanyl to get high.

Nationwide, among new heroin users, 75 percent report having abused prescription opioids before using heroin.1

 

 Heroin Overdose Data. Center of Disease Control and Prevention. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/heroin.html

Utah Opioid Misuse: By the Numbers

A few stats about Utah's prescription opioid misuse problem.

Utah’s Problem: Prescription Drug Misuse

For more than a decade, the misuse of prescription painkillers has been a significant problem in Utah.

Drug-Related Overdoses

Between 2000 and 2015, the state experienced a 400 percent increase in deaths due to prescription drugs.