Covid-19 killed about 508,000 people in the same time frame (Representative)
Washington:
More than 100,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in the 12 months ending April 2021, a 28.5% jump from the previous year, largely due to opioids, data showed today. Wednesday.
President Joe Biden said: “As we continue to make strides to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot ignore this pandemic of loss.
Overall, opioids accounted for 75,673 of the 100,306 deaths, with the main culprit being synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl.
Covid-19 has killed about 508,000 people in the same time frame, according to Our World in Data.
Deaths from psychostimulants such as methamphetamine, as well as from natural and semi-synthetic opioids, such as prescription painkillers, and cocaine have all increased.
Experts say people with substance use disorders are particularly hard hit by the daily lives of the pandemic.
At the same time, the US Drug Enforcement Administration has warned Americans about online prescription pills that are made to look like the real Oxycontin, Vicodin, Xanax or Adderall, but are laced with lethal doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“My administration is committed to doing everything in our power to tackle addiction and end the overdose epidemic,” Biden added in his statement.
“Through the American Rescue Plan, we have provided nearly $4 billion to strengthen and expand services for mental health and substance use disorders.”
In 2019, the latest year for which national data are available, heart disease was the leading cause of death, with about 660,000 deaths, followed by cancer, with about 600,000 deaths and 175,000 non-traumatic injuries. intention.
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