Report shows Americans more likely to die from an opioid overdose than a car crash
A recent analysis from the nonprofit group National Safety Council, shows that for the first time, Americans have more chance of dying from an accidental opioid overdose than from a motor vehicle crash, a data analysis found. The study, Injury Facts, is an analysis compiled by the nonprofit group National Safety Council, shows the lifetime odds of dying by an accidental opioid overdose were 1 in 96, with the odds of dying by motor vehicle crash were 1 in 103. The National Safety Council’s analysis also found the odds of dying from a fall are 1 in 114, up from 1 in 119 a year ago.
The estimates used in the analysis are based on 2017 mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics, a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over 49,000 people died due to opioid overdoses in 2017, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In statment from the group, this crisis is worsening with the influx of illicit fentanyl.
The National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins said in an interview with USA Today, the agency will fund longer-lasting treatments for people addicted to opioids, as well as develop nonaddictive therapies for people dealing with pain.
“Any idea that this is just willpower and you ought to be able to get over it is completely contrary to what we know on the basis of strongest medical evidence,” Collins said.
“We’ve made significant strides in overall longevity in the United States, but we are dying from things typically called accidents at rates we haven’t seen in half a century,” said Ken Kolosh, manager of statistics at the National Safety Council, in a statement.
Recovering from an opioid addiction requires a assistance from a licensed treatment facility. Like Frances Collins stated, medical evidence shows, getting over an addiction to opioids through sheer will power is not a viable approach to recovery. If you or a loved one have become addicted to opioids (pain medication), Fairwinds Treatment Center is here to help. Take the next step eliminating this dangerous addiction and contact our admissions team here for a free assessment.