A new report from the U.S for Healthcare Research Quality states that hospital admissions related to heroin and other opioids have risen 64% between 2005 and 2014. Misuse of both prescription painkiller and street opioids (Schedule 1 drugs like heroin), meth, and other drugs has increased drastically. Hospital stays related to opiates have increased from 137 per 100,000 people to 225 per 100,000 in the span of one decade.
Where Are Opioid Overdoses Concentrated?
Opioid abuse statistics vary drastically among states, with states like North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington requiring 70% more hospital beds between 2009 and 2014. Furthermore, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Washington D.C, and West Virginia reported rates above 300 per 100,000 people. These opioid overdose statistics are far above the national average.
With more information about where opioid abuse is most heavily concentrated, policymakers and government leaders can concentrate and allocate resources more effectively. These states may need more assistance in tackling their opioid problem—from the federal government or other resources.
What Policies Are in Place?
This new data comes in as many states and the federal government attempt to curb rising opiate abuse statistics. The Drug Enforcement Administration has new restrictions on prescription painkillers, including opiates like Vicodin and oxycodone—and many states have their policies in place to restrict usage and abuse.
But that doesn’t change the fact that the United States is in the midst of an unparalleled opioid epidemic. 90 Americans die daily of street opiates or prescription painkillers. Hospitals and emergency departments spend over $20 billion on opiate misuse. From these statistics, it’s clear federal guidelines and state policies for preventing opioid abuse and overdoses are not yet taking effect.
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The rate of fatalities related to opioid use is rising significantly. Source: cdc.gov |
Conclusion
These new opioid overdose statistics show how bad the current state of affairs is—the opiate epidemic in the United States is real and only getting worse. However, the report "open[s] the door to valuable insights about the growing burdens that opioid misuse are placing on hospitals and emergency departments," said agency director Dr. Andy Bindman, in a press release. "It's our hope that public health leaders, policymakers and others will use [these statistics] to further target and evaluate their efforts to confront the crisis."
Armed with new opioid abuse statistics that show the public health toll, as well as the monetary cost of opiate misuse, lawmakers will hopefully draft legislation to combat the epidemic. Without cooperation from all levels of government, opioid misuse may only get worse over time.
