Heroin Overdose Deaths Rose Across Many States in 2012

Why it matters locally: West Virginia has been particularly affected by the opioid crisis. The CDC data indicating a national rise in heroin overdose deaths in 2012 reflects trends that would come to significantly impact the state in subsequent years, as West Virginia emerged as one of the hardest-hit states in the nation's overdose epidemic.

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Heroin overdose fatalities increased significantly in many states, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report featured the analysis. Researchers examined death certificate information from 28 states in their assessment. The data showed an upward trend in heroin-related deaths across a substantial portion of the investigated regions. While the report highlights a widespread increase, specific details regarding the magnitude of the increase in individual states were included in the full report released by the CDC.