Drug overdoses are more deadly than vehicle accidents in the United States. The National Safety Council revealed that overdoses of opioid drugs caused more deaths than vehicle crashes in 2017. It noted that the probability of dying (https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/preventable-death-overview/odds-of-dying/data-details/) in a motor vehicle crash was one in 103, compared to a one in ninety-six chance of dying from an opioid overdose.
Is opioid abuse serious?
A 2019 statement released by the National Safety Council revealed that the influx of illicit forms of fentanyl (https://www.nsc.org/in-the-newsroom/for-the-first-time-were-more-likely-to-die-from-accidental-opioid-overdose-than-motor-vehicle-crash) has worsened the opioid crisis in the United States. Fentanyl has emerged as a commonly used drug and has been responsible for many drug overdose deaths.
What do the statistics say?
Because of the risks of accidental opioid overdoses, the National Safety Council recommends increasing pain management training for opioid prescribers. Another way to combat overdoses is by making treatments such as the drug naloxone more widely available in medical settings and other environments. Although the leading causes of death (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm) in the United States are heart disease and cancer, the rising numbers of opioid overdoses should convince the field of medicine and others to consider new solutions.
Who are the most affected?
In addition, the opioid crisis has had a great impact on such wide-ranging areas as the workforce and child-rearing. Many opioid-related overdose deaths affect people living in the prime years of their life. The loss of this population may create greater emotional and financial consequences compared to people who die in later years.
What are the plans for the future?
Ken Kolosh, the manager of statistics at the National Safety Council, reminded people to be vigilant and cautious when dealing with common dangers. He said that humans are terrible in assessing their own risks since they tend to focus more on unusual or dramatic events. The odds of dying in a massive storm are one in 31,394 and the odds of a person dying on an airplane are one in 188,365. Meanwhile, the odds are one in ninety-six that a person will die from an opioid overdose.
RE: https://pixabay.com/photos/traffic-locomotion-roadway-mobility-3612474/
What next?
Many deaths are preventable. People can take measures to prevent many drug overdoses or other accidental deaths. Kolosh noted that individuals can come together as a group to create and enforce regulations and rules to prevent such tragedies.
Can we fight the opioid crisis?
Typically, the answer to this question relies on the ability of individuals and authorities to assess a crisis and take the appropriate measures to address it. If people report issues early, they may have better success in ending such overdoses or even preventing accidental deaths.
What can the American community do to prevent opioid deaths?
One way to prevent opioid overdose deaths is to create awareness. People can do this by educating the public about the importance of using medications correctly, for example. While many people still die because they used large quantities of illegal drugs, experts reveal that the misuse of prescription opioids (https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/prescription-opioid-overdose-deaths-and-death-rate-per-100000-population-age-adjusted/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D) also contributes to many preventable overdose deaths.
What are some final thoughts about opioid overdose deaths?
Vehicle crashes are still among the leading causes of the deaths in the United States, but opioid overdose deaths are on the rise. Although the numbers of overdose deaths seem to escalate on a daily basis, we can utilize statistics and tips to try to prevent them
As we at Sunshine Behavioral Health (https://twitter.com/sunshinebehavi1) like to keep consumers informed of opioid news, we also like to be honest and truthful. Thank you for reading.
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