Overdoses

A Sad 1st in America: Heroin Overdoses Outpace Gun Homicides

In a report published December 8, 2016, the CDC said that in 2015, heroin deaths spiked by more than 2,000 cases since 2014, resulting in a sad milestone: There were more heroin-related deaths that year than gun homicides. As recently as 2007, gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths by more than 5 to 1. [1]
Source: The Washington Post

New Data Reveals Opioid Deaths Are Being Underreported

America’s ongoing opioid crisis is no secret. With thousands dying from prescription painkiller overdoses each year — nearly as many as traffic deaths — even the U.S. government has been forced to take action. As awareness of the epidemic continues to grow, further hazards of the pharmaceutical class of drugs are being revealed — including potentially higher numbers of deaths caused by their use.

In States that Legalize Medical Marijuana, Opioid Use Decreases

A study published on September 15 shows that in states where medical marijuana is legal, fewer people use opioid drugs, bolstering advocates’ claims that marijuana can substitute for more deadly substances. [1]
Researchers examined federal traffic safety data from 1999 to 2013, using a sample of more than 68,000 people who died in a car crash in 18 states.

New Painkiller as ‘Effective as Morphine,’ but Without the Side Effects

Scientists have created a new opioid compound that’s as effective at killing pain as morphine, but without the side effects. It could mean thousands fewer people becoming addicted to prescription pain medication in the future. But untold effects are questionable, as it is modified by man.
The finding represents a turning point in the way scientists have traditionally tried to handle opiate addiction and overdoses.