THE KIDS AREN’T ALRIGHT, THEY’RE DYING OF DRUG OVERDOSES

From May 2022 to May 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an alarming 37 percent increase in American lives lost due to overdoses, totaling over 112,000 fatalities.

This staggering surge highlights the urgent need for effective measures to address this crisis, emphasizing the crucial role of prevention and intervention in combating this devastating trend.

The vast majority of those who perished were adults, but drug overdoses are claiming the lives of young Americans at an alarming rate. The number of fatalities skyrocketed from 31 in July 2019 to 87 in May 2021, marking a period of unprecedented statistics.

When analyzing data for Americans aged 10 to 19 years old, the CDC discovered a similar trend to that seen in adults: a majority of adolescent deaths caused by drug overdoses are males.

However, among these fatalities, there is a larger proportion of girls compared to women.

More boys in the tween and teenage age group are dying from drug overdoses compared to girls, with the number being more than double.

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Another significant distinction is the underlying cause behind these tragic overdose cases.

Among adults, individuals who engage in polydrug use face a higher risk of fatal overdose compared to those consuming a single substance.

The most prevalent combinations involve the concurrent use of fentanyl with another opioid, such as a prescription medication, or fentanyl combined with a stimulant like cocaine or methamphetamine.

Fentanyl is frequently attributed as the root cause.

Fentanyl is the primary cause of fatal overdoses among adolescents. Fentanyl is involved in 84 percent of fatal overdoses among teens, and it constitutes 56 percent of all overdoses.

Fentanyl is an incredibly potent opioid, surpassing the strength of morphine by an estimated 100 times. This makes it a powerful drug often used in hospital settings. However, it is crucial to note that teens and tweens generally possess a limited tolerance to opioids due to their lack of exposure, and fentanyl’s heightened potency greatly increases the risk of overdose for this demographic.

Many young people unknowingly consume fentanyl when they mistakenly consume counterfeit pills that they think are prescription opioids, stimulants, or other illicit drugs that have been adulterated with this substance.

This inadvertent use can increase the risk of overdose, as individuals who are unaware they are consuming fentanyl are less likely to have naloxone or fentanyl test strips readily available for reversing an overdose.

In 67% of adolescent overdose deaths, there was an opportunity for bystanders to intervene, yet it was only in less than half of those cases that Naloxone was administered.

Only 10% of teenagers and pre-teens who succumbed to a drug overdose had sought treatment for substance abuse, while just 14% had previously encountered a nonfatal overdose.

See CDC report

Drug Overdose Deaths Among Persons Aged 10–19 Years — United States, July 2019–December 2021

No deaths from overdose of marijuana have been reported.

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