More Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016 than in any previous year ever recorded. But this time a single type of painkiller is to blame.
More Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016 than in any previous year.
Unlike other reported rises in overdose rates, this one seems tied to fentanyl — an opioid painkiller roughly 35 times stronger than heroin.
The drug is still legally prescribed for rare cases of severe pain, but most of the deaths are tied to illicit forms of the drug coming from China and Mexico.
More Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016 than in any previous year, according to a report released Thursday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 63,600 people were killed by opioid painkillers — 11,200 more than last year.
There’s a clear standout drug in the picture: fentanyl, which is roughly 35 times stronger than heroin. That makes it a cheap substitute to put in fake pills sold illegally as brand-name painkillers like Norco, Percocet, and Xanax.
Tech: Deaths from overdoses have jumped again — but this time a single drug may be to blame
