May 25, 2022
Opioid/Substance Use Disorders
  • Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust released data indicating that there was a 20 percent year-over-year increase in deaths connected with alcohol, drugs, and suicide in 2020. There was a total of 186,763 substance misuse deaths – the highest number recorded for a single year. The rise in deaths occurred across all states and the D.C., except for New Hampshire; however, the report notes that drug deaths have increased markedly in the South and West after years of lower rates in these regions. Another key demographic change pertains to race. In 2015, white Americans had a 52 percent higher drug-induced mortality rate than Black Americans, but by 2020, Black Americans’ mortality rate was 15 percent higher. (Press release here)