Drug Overdose Deaths Reached Record High in 2014, CDC Report Shows

Why it matters locally: Pennsylvania is likely to have been significantly affected by the trends identified in this report, given the state's known struggles with opioid addiction and overdose rates. The CDC's findings will likely inform public health strategies and resource allocation within Pennsylvania to combat the opioid crisis.

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Atlanta — Data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a record number of drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2014. The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published recently, highlights a significant increase in deaths attributed to opioid overdoses. The report states that nearly 500,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between 2000 and 2014. The analysis points to a continuous upward trend in fatal overdoses throughout the 14-year period. Opioid overdoses, including those involving prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin, experienced a sharp increase in 2014. The CDC reported a 14 percent rise in opioid-related deaths from 2013 to 2014, reaching record levels. The report does not specify precise numbers but emphasizes the increasing severity of opioid overdose deaths within the broader context of overall drug overdose fatalities. The CDC plans to releases more findings in the future.