【 World Report 】 Foreign Media: The number of drug overdose deaths in the United States has long been at its highest in history. Fake prescription drugs further exacerbate the opioid crisis
On September 8th, China Daily reported that US public health officials have recently continued to warn that an increasingly serious threat - counterfeit prescription drugs - is exacerbating the historic opioid crisis in the United States. The proliferation of fake prescription drugs has made the illegal drug market in the United States more complex, and has also brought more excessive deaths and violence to communities. According to relevant data, nearly a quarter of deaths among teenagers who die from drug overdose involve fake prescription drugs.
Screenshot of report from National Public Radio in the United States
According to a report by the National Public Radio on the 6th, the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States shows that the proportion of deaths from overdoses involving counterfeit prescription drugs in the United States has more than doubled between mid-2019 and the end of 2021, while the proportion in Western states has more than doubled.
From CDC data, it can be seen that between July and September 2019, there is evidence that excessive deaths caused by the use of fake prescription drugs accounted for only 2% of the total number of deaths. However, this number jumped to 4.7% between October and December 2021. When studying data from western states such as Arizona, Washington, and Alaska, researchers also found that this proportion surged from 4.7% to 14.7% during this period.
The CDC stated that this is a change for the region, where illegal white powder fentanyl, a potent opioid commonly found in fake prescription drugs, has historically been less common, while black tar heroin is more common in the western United States.
The article points out that evidence shows that compared to those who did not overdo fake prescription drugs, more young people, Hispanics, or Latinos die from overdosing fake prescription drugs, and all have experienced prescription drug abuse.
The abuse of fentanyl in the United States is difficult to control, and sooner or later it will explode in one's own hands.
At the time of the release of this report, the number of drug deaths across the United States is still at a historic high, with the CDC estimating that over 105000 people died from drug overdoses in 2022. The author of the report stated, "The proliferation of fake prescription drugs has made the illegal drug market more complex and may lead to these deaths." The CDC added that among the signs of drug overdose deaths caused by the use of fake prescription drugs, 41.4% of deaths involved illegal fentanyl as the sole drug.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency issued a public safety alert in 2021, warning of an increase in the illegal sale of counterfeit prescription drugs, many of which contain potentially deadly fentanyl. Authoritative authorities claim that these fake prescription drugs are being sold online and on social media. The US Drug Enforcement Agency stated at the time, "Drug traffickers' fake prescription drugs are taking advantage of the opioid crisis and prescription drug abuse in the United States to promote excessive deaths and violence in the American community."
Screenshot of Guardian website report
In a report on the website of The Guardian on the 6th, a more detailed description was provided on why the number of deaths caused by fentanyl has increased. The report points out that over 90% of fake prescription drugs in the United States contain the highly potent synthetic opioid drug fentanyl. Fentanyl is often added to heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine to enhance its efficacy and value without the user's knowledge. But due to the fact that only 2 milligrams of this type of drug can cause death, it is easy to overdo it. Many people in the United States who purchase fake prescription drugs are looking for legitimate prescription drugs to avoid taking fentanyl. Nearly 200 people die every day from fentanyl.
In addition to the adult population, NPR recently reported that as more and more teenagers overdose fentanyl, American schools are also facing an unprecedented drug crisis. In 2021, fentanyl accounted for the vast majority of all teenage deaths from drug overdose, reaching 84%, and this problem is still escalating. According to CDC data, from 2019 to 2021, the number of deaths from fentanyl related teenage drug overdoses has almost doubled. Nearly a quarter of the deaths involve fake prescription drugs that have not been prescribed by doctors.
Over the past 25 years, excessive drug use has resulted in over one million deaths in the United States, with the vast majority dying from opioid drugs. The most severe drug abuse in American history is still ongoing.
Responsibility
