Heroin deaths surpass gun homicides for the first time, CDC data shows

[True Dough]

Source: Washington Post

Opioid deaths continued to surge in 2015, surpassing 30,000 for the first time in recent history, according to CDC data released Thursday.

That marks an increase of nearly 5,000 deaths from 2014. Deaths involving powerful synthetic opiates, like fentanyl, rose by nearly 75 percent from 2014 to 2015.

Heroin deaths spiked too, rising by more than 2,000 cases. For the first time since at least the late 1990s, there were more deaths due to heroin than to traditional opioid painkillers, like hydrocodone and oxycodone.

"The epidemic of deaths involving opioids continues to worsen," said CDC Director Tom Frieden in a statement. "Prescription opioid misuse and use of heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are intertwined and deeply troubling problems."

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/08/heroin-deaths-surpass-gun-homicides-for-the-first-time-cdc-data-show/?utm_term=.d5479f90d136

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The article goes on to report that gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths by more than 5 to 1 in 2007.

I didn't realize the scope of this problem. I mean, I've heard plenty of news reports about the growing opioid crisis, but I wasn't aware it had reached this scale already. Yikes!

[Doreen]

1. Yup!!!

Time to fight cannabis.

[coco22]

9. Rudy and Sessions want to fight it but..

ignore it when wallstreet brockers smoke it in front of the stock exchange. Nothing to see there but if a black or brown person walks down any street its time for stop and frisk.

[tenderfoot]

2. Golly, guess that's why we're in Afghanistan to control the opiate trade...

and replenish the supply of free labor to prisons. No one will care until it affects suburbia.

[yallerdawg]

3. Using some kind of weird, twisted logic...

shouldn't we just legalize opioids and heroin and let everyone and anyone (well, not everyone ) have all they want?

[True Dough]

6. That's not exactly how it's done in Canada...

But Vancouver seems to have tackled the problem quite effectively.

B.C. clinic's free heroin enables addicts to 'have a meaningful life again,' co-ordinator says

Goal is to give addicts just enough heroin to take away their desire to seek out street drugs

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/crosstown-clinic-heroin-addiction-1.3779768

[roamer65]

14. ...and it eliminates the dirty needle problem.

[IronLionZion]

15. it could limit the people cutting it with fentanyl

and other types of chemicals that unscrupulous dealers use. It might also encourage people to seek treatment for addiction

Heroin addicts are a big problem in my neighborhood. We've had muggings, violence, broken syringes on the sidewalks, etc.

[cigsandcoffee]

4. We need to make heroin illegal. nt

[Kittycow]

5. And the chronic pain patients will get squeezed even more.

[Jose Garcia]

16. Heroin is a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, therefore it cannot be prescribed by a physician

[AtheistCrusader]

19. But other opiods are prescribable, and all lumped together for this particular problem.

[Kathy M]

7. From the article President Obama has addressed

"The prescription opioid and heroin epidemic continues to devastate communities and families across the country—in large part because too many people still do not get effective substance use disorder treatment,” said Michael Botticelli, Director of National Drug Control Policy, in a statement. "That is why the President has called since February for $1 billion in new funding to expand access to treatment." "

Yes it is growing problem through the country ............

[coco22]

8. Nothing to see here move along..

I don't recall any outrage when it was destroying the black community. The only thing i heard was just because it is there didn't mean people had to take it same goes for this population.

[JonLP24]

12. First few times it is optional

But after that it becomes less of a choice.

[Sunlei]

10. what customs finds the most uncut fentanyl smuggled? Canada?

[roamer65]

13. Too bad oxycodone has gotten the Pigman yet.

I keep hoping.

[Bad Dog]

17. This is mostly an American problem

Smack is just part of it, prescription drugs are a real problem.

Americans consume 80% of opiate painkillers produced in the world, according to congressional testimony by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17963222

That's one hell of a lot for 5% of the global population. I think your healthcare and unregulated drugs industry are a big part of the problem. Prescription drugs are not advertised over here, when I see a doctor I take the script he gives me, he's the professional and price is not an issue either. For those of us who have to pay for prescriptions it's a flat charge, currently £8.40 an item (approx US$10.60).

What is the incentive for drug companies to get less people hooked on their products? Addicts are good for business.

[leftyladyfrommo]

18. This awful election

Probably drove thousands to go find heroin to kill the pain.

I know I wish I could go buy about 10 pounds of weed and just stay stoned for 4 years.

[EX500rider]

20. Actually that's 3 times the gun homicides which are around 10,000

To get to 30,000 you have to add suicides by gun also, but that is not homicide.

[hatrack]

21. "Gun Deaths" would be accurate

Agreed, bad headline.

[Paladin]

22. The folks in DU's Gun Control & RKBA group are making jokes about this news.

Typical.