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.
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.
Related Articles
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
More Posts
Oklahoma’s wild marijuana market is about to shrivel
The world's weed market, once booming with nearly 14,000 licensed medical marijuana businesses at its peak, has experienced a steady decline since Oklahoma voters...
400K settlement after being arrested for a DUI, even though he passed breath and blood tests
A Colorado man is poised to receive a $400,000 settlement from city authorities after being wrongfully arrested for a DUI, even though he had passed both a breath and...
When Being Questioned by the Police: Can They Lie to You?
When Being Questioned by the Police: Can They Lie to You? Introduction In the United States, police officers are generally allowed to lie to suspects during...
Ohio Bill Introduced to Allow Each City to Ban Marijuana
With just over a week until Ohio’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law takes effect, a lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow individual municipalities...
Appeals Court – Detroit’s Asset Forfeiture Violates Due Process
A federal circuit judge writes that Detroit's vehicle seizure scheme "is simply a money-making venture—one most often used to extort money from those who can least...
NEWS RELEASE: USSC Adopts 2023 Amendments
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Equipped with a quorum of Commissioners for the first time since 2018, the bipartisan United States Sentencing Commission voted today to...
Bad Ranking For Transparency in the Michigan Justice System
by Wes Smith, president, MPA Board of DirectorsPublisher View Newspaper Group When there was a change in leadership in Michigan’s legislature earlier this year, hope...
Ohio voters say yes to legal recreational cannabis
Recreational marijuana has been legalized in Ohio as voters overwhelmingly approved State Issue 2 on Tuesday. This groundbreaking decision now enables adults in Ohio to...
Smell of Marijuana is Not Enough to Search Your Vehicle or is it?
The Smell of Marijuana and the Court of Appeals Body camera footage is an invaluable resource for courts facing suppression motions, but it rarely serves as a...
Commission Votes For Retroactive Sentencing
U.S. SENTENCING COMMISSION VOTES TO ALLOW RETROACTIVE SENTENCE REDUCTIONS AND ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT SET OF POLICY PRIORITIESVote Authorizes Judges to Reduce Sentences for...
