A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study shows the rate of fatal drug overdoses has more than doubled since 1999. Those between 55 and 64 years of age were the hardest hit. Rates increased for both males and females and increased across all age groups.
The 2015 rate for fatal drug overdoses is higher than deaths from suicides (13.4 deaths per 100,000) car accidents (11.1 deaths per 100,000) and firearms:
From the report:
In 2015, the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths among non-Hispanicwhite persons was nearly 3.5 times the rate in 1999.
- In 2015, non-Hispanic white persons had a higher age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths (21.1 per 100,000) than non-Hispanic black (12.2) and Hispanic (7.7) persons (p < 0.001)
- From 1999 to 2015, the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths among non-Hispanic white persons increased from 6.2 to 21.1 per 100,000, an average increase of 7% per year.
- Rates also increased for non-Hispanic black persons from 7.5 in 1999 to 12.2 in 2015, an average increase of 2% per year.
- Rates for Hispanic persons increased from 5.4 in 1999 to 7.7 in 2015, an average increase of 2% per year.
