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U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Eased in 10 States, CDC Data Show

U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Eased in 10 States, CDC Data Show

(Bloomberg) -- America’s drug overdose epidemic eased in ten states, primarily in the West, with flat or declining levels between June 2015 and June 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the same time, overdose deaths rose by about 500 or more in ten states, with Florida accounting for an increase of more than 2,000 deaths. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois and Ohio posted increases topping 1,000 fatalities.

U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Eased in 10 States, CDC Data Show

Key Insights

  • In the 12 months ending in June 2018, the number of drug overdose deaths fell for the seventh month in a row to 67,446, reflecting fewer fatalities from heroin and natural and semi-synthetic opioids.
  • However, several other drugs broke records:
    • Deaths from synthetic opioids, excluding methadone, reached at 29,556 -- an almost 400 percent increase in three years
    • Cocaine accounted for 14,436 deaths
    • 11,143 deaths stemmed from psychostimulants

NOTE: Data are provisional pending further investigation by the National Center for Health Statistics

To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Tanzi in Washington at atanzi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kristy Scheuble at kmckeaney@bloomberg.net, Vincent Del Giudice

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