Since the 2016 death of beloved pop singer Prince, the drug fentanyl has suddenly skyrocketed in recent media firestorms. Following this event, physicians have only confirmed details about the musician’s death to be proof of how deadly this powerful painkiller can be. According to Dr. Linda Richter, fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids are the main driving force of opioid-related deaths in the United States. Now, in recent week, the government only confirmed this notion after reporting that fentanyl is officially the #1 more dangerous drug in our country (period). Based on a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, from 2013 to 2016, the use of synthetic opioids boosted by 11%. Now, consider that 63,632 people died from opioid-related overdoses in 2016, and you may consider why fentanyl is so deadly. Let’s take a closer look at this story and find out more.
Disturbing Body Count
Based on the most recent reports, officials revealed that an estimated 29% of overdose-related deaths in 2016 involved fentanyl (taken from death certificates focusing on drug-related deaths from 2011 to 2016), a trend that has been steeply growing across this span of 5 years. In 2011, this deadly opioid was the root cause of only 4% of all drug-related fatalities, while the most common opioid during this time was oxycodone (raking in 12% of deaths). Meanwhile, from 2012 to 2015, the most common cause of opioid-related deaths was heroin, which caused 4,571 (11%) of all drug fatalities. Ultimately, in 2016, fentanyl caused 18,000 deaths, while heroin backslid to 16,000 (still not a good thing).
From Heroin Crisis to Fentanyl Epidemic
Although medical professionals have argued that overprescribed painkillers are the root cause of this dangerous opioid epidemic, these people have not agreed that the problem has evolved beyond this point, changing from a heroin crisis to a full-blown fentanyl epidemic. However, Dr. Andrew Kolodny
(the co-founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing) has urged physicians not to consider sudden changes as a hint that the opioid crisis is over. In fact, he has pointed out that, in areas where fentanyl has been flooding into the streets, the number of deaths has reached a terrifying number.
Always remember that drugs do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse or addiction troubles today.
