Increase in Drug Deaths in the U.S. Due to Fentanyl and Other Street Drugs

SOURCE www.npr.org
Fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills are flooding U.S. streets, but other street drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine are causing more deaths. While fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. decreased by 3% in 2023, the toll from the overdose crisis remained high, claiming 107,543 lives. The shift from plant-based drugs to synthetic drugs has resulted in a dangerous crisis.

Key Points

  • Fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills are flooding U.S. streets
  • Shift from plant-based drugs like heroin and cocaine to synthetic drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine
  • Total number of fentanyl deaths declined modestly in 2023, but fatal overdoses from psychostimulants and cocaine rose
  • Uneven progress in curbing fatal overdoses across different states
  • Strategies to combat overdose crisis are debated and vary across states

Pros

  • Decrease in fatal drug overdoses by 3% in 2023 compared to previous years
  • Some states like Kansas, Indiana, Maine, and Nebraska saw declines in drug deaths of 15% or more

Cons

  • High toll from overdose crisis, claiming 107,543 lives in 2023
  • Other street drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine are causing more deaths