The Crisis Is Real

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) drug poisoning injuries are now the number 1 cause of accidental death, it is now 2 times more likely for our children to be victims of a lethal drug poisoning than involved in a motor vehicle accident.

More than 142,000 persons in the U.S. died due to drug related causes in 2016 alone. There were over 547,543 emergency room visits in 2016 due to drug poisoning.  389 persons die every single day in the U.S. due to lethal drug poisoning.  This is the highest number of fatalities ever recorded in United States history due to drug poisoning. 

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2016, an estimated 48,501,000 persons, aged 12 and older, reported the use of illicit drugs or the misuse of prescription medications within the past year.   More than 142,000 persons in the U.S. died due to drug related causes in 2016 alone.

  • 11,824,000 abused some type of opiate
  • 11,517,000 reported misuse of prescription pain relievers 
  • 986,000 abused heroin 
  • 5,071,000, reported cocaine use 
  • 1,391,000 reported methamphetamine use
  • 5,647,000 reported misuse of prescription stimulants
  • 6,060,000 reported misuse of prescription tranquilizers
  • 1,531,000 reported misuse of prescription sedatives 
  • 2,181,000 persons ages 12 and up reported that they had received illicit or prescription drug treatment in the past year
  • 1,406,000 persons ages 18-25 reported that they had received illicit or prescription drug treatment

There were over 547,543 emergency room visits in 2016 due to drug poisoning.  These are the highest numbers ever recorded in United States history for accidental injuries of this type.