@article{ref1,
title="Overdose deaths involving opioids, cocaine, and psychostimulants - United States, 2015-2016",
journal="MMWR: Morbidity and mortality weekly report",
year="2018",
author="Seth, Puja and Scholl, Lawrence and Rudd, Rose A. and Bacon, Sarah",
volume="67",
number="12",
pages="349-358",
abstract="During 1999‒2015, 568,699 persons died from drug overdoses in the United States.* Drug overdose deaths in the United States increased 11.4% from 2014 to 2015 resulting in 52,404 deaths in 2015, including 33,091 (63.1%) that involved an opioid. The largest rate increases from 2014 to 2015 occurred among deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (synthetic opioids) (72.2%) (1). Because of demographic and geographic variations in overdose deaths involving different drugs (2,3),<sup>†</sup>CDC examined age-adjusted death rates for overdoses involving all opioids, opioid subcategories (i.e., prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids),<sup>§</sup>cocaine, and psychostimulants with abuse potential (psychostimulants) by demographics, urbanization levels, and in 31 states and the District of Columbia (DC). There were 63,632 drug overdose deaths in 2016; 42,249 (66.4%) involved an opioid.<sup>¶</sup>From 2015 to 2016, deaths increased across all drug categories examined. The largest overall rate increases occurred among deaths involving cocaine (52.4%) and synthetic opioids (100%), likely driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) (2,3). Increases were observed across demographics, urbanization levels, and states and DC. The opioid overdose epidemic in the United States continues to worsen. A multifaceted approach, with faster and more comprehensive surveillance, is needed to track emerging threats to prevent and respond to the overdose epidemic through naloxone availability, safe prescribing practices, harm-reduction services, linkage into treatment, and more collaboration between public health and public safety agencies.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0149-2195",
doi="10.15585/mmwr.mm6712a1",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6712a1"
}