When people ask about which drug causes the most deaths, legal drugs are not usually what they have in mind. However, the reality is that the drug responsible for the most deaths is one that is available in almost every store in the nation:
- Tobacco
Tobacco is the cause of nearly half a million deaths each year. In the year 2013, 480,000 deaths were attributed to tobacco use. To help gain a better understanding of that observation, that is the population of a city the size of Sacramento, CA.
During that same time period, alcohol was the cause of 26,654 deaths. Evidently, in terms of numbers alone, tobacco is the number one deadliest drug when it comes to mortality.
- Prescription Drugs
Prescriptions given by doctors would normally be considered safe and would not be what a person is thinking of when they wonder what drug causes the most deaths.
It may come as a surprise, therefore, that prescription painkillers, most of which are opioids, were responsible for 16,235 deaths in 2013. In the year 2015, about 100 US citizens died on a daily basis due to an overdose of opioids.
On any given day, about 1000 people need emergency room treatment due to the misuse of prescription opioids. With so many people having prescriptions for opioids, it isn’t surprising that more people die as a result of misusing their prescription of an opioid than from the use of heroin. In the last 10 years, the number of prescription opioids sold has quadrupled.
Accidental Drug Overdose Deaths
Opioids also play a role in overdose deaths. About 24,000 US citizens died from an accidental drug overdose during 2006. In many of these cases, a significant part of the problem is mixing drugs.
Taking opioids while also drinking alcohol is a recipe for disaster, especially since both drugs are sedatives. People between the ages of 25 and 54 years old are most likely to die from an overdose, and men are more likely to die from a prescription drug overdose than women.
At Asana Recovery, we understand how difficult recovering from these addictions through our daily work to help those struggling most from this disease. While some may believe they can make it alone, rehabilitation programs are essential in the fight to break dependency. The road ahead is not a smooth or easy one, but you can traverse it if done so with the support of the right team. Counseling and aftercare processes can assist you by addressing the psychological facets that led you to addition and help you build a structure from which to better cope with life without succumbing to addiction.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery, and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
