Drug Overdose Facts & Statistics

 Did You Know? 

  • Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone rose from 5,544 in 2014 to 9,580 in 2015, an increase of 73 percent.
  • According to the Nassau County Health Assessment Report, 2014-2017, Poisoning/Overdose is the leading cause of death for those between 18-35 years old with motor vehicle accidents being second.
  • The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include Methadone, Oxycodone (such as OxyContin) and Hydrocodone (such as Vicodin).
  • Every day, over 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids
  • Every day, over 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids.
  • As many as 1 in 4 people who receive prescription opioids long term for noncancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction.
  • Studies have shown some loss of the brain's white matter associated with heroin addiction, which may affect decision-making, behavior control, and responses to stressful situations.
  • The most commonly recommended treatment for pregnant women who are addicted to heroin or other opiates is methadone maintenance treatment.
  • According to the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, in 2015, an estimated 21,000 adolescents had used heroin in the past year, and an estimated 5,000 were current heroin users. Additionally, an estimated 6,000 adolescents had heroin a heroin use disorder in 2014.

Trend Alert !

  • Carfentanil, a potent "man-made' opiod is 10,000 times more powerful than morphine.
  • Fentanyl the potent "man-made" opioid is 100 times more powerful than morphine
  • Deaths due to fentanyl and carfentanil increased by 79% from 2013 to 2014, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control Prevention(CDC).
  • The CDC reports that fentanyl comes in a variety of forms such as patches, lozenges, tables, and tilms and can be illegally manipulated for abuse.(CDC,2015;DEA,2015c)