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Opioid Crisis: Record Number of U.S. Drug Deaths in 2017

Opioid Crisis: Record Number of U.S. Drug Deaths in 2017

(Bloomberg) -- Sadly, there’s no end in sight.

The opioid epidemic contributed to a record 71,568 American drug deaths last year, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s an increase of 6.6 percent from a year earlier. Three states -- North Carolina, Nebraska and New Jersey -- saw a jump of 20 percent or more in drug overdose deaths.

Opioid Crisis: Record Number of U.S. Drug Deaths in 2017

Last year’s number of drug deaths exceeded the number of suicides by almost 30,000, CDC data show.

Opioid Crisis: Record Number of U.S. Drug Deaths in 2017

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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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