Tens of thousands of people will die from opioid drug use next year, as the US epidemic worsens.
It is thought there were more than 53,000 opioid-related deaths there in 2016. Official tallies won鈥檛 be released until next year, but a number of states 鈥� among them Missouri, Mississippi, Connecticut and Maryland 鈥� have already reported higher opioid-related death rates for 2017 than for 2016.
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While prescription painkillers have played a role in the epidemic, crackdowns mean many now get opioids on the street 鈥� including fentanyl, which can be 100 times more powerful than heroin.
Given its trajectory, this trend is expected to worsen next year. In 2016, there were over 21,000 fentanyl-related deaths 鈥� more than double the number in 2015 鈥� meaning the drug overtook heroin as a cause of death.
It isn鈥檛 just a US problem. Drug-related deaths have been rising in Europe, and there were more than 60 fentanyl-related deaths in the UK in 2017.
Governments are finally taking notice. Next February, medication containing codeine will no longer be sold over the counter in Australia, where codeine-related deaths have more than doubled since 2000. This October, President Donald Trump declared a national public health emergency in the US.
鈥淒eaths from fentanyl 鈥� which can be 100 times more powerful than heroin 鈥� have doubled and will continue rising鈥�
But any improvements there next year are likely to be achieved by local areas and individual states rather than by a government that seems reluctant to commit any emergency funding to the crisis.
Massachusetts and Rhode Island are both already on track to have fewer opioid-related deaths next year. 鈥淚 expect a few states may begin to emerge as success stories to be emulated,鈥� says Michael Barnett of Harvard University.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淥pioid crisis claims more lives鈥�
