There were 42,249 deaths due to opioid overdoses in 2016, compared to a projected 41,070 deaths from breast cancer in 2017 (42,640 in 2015). U.S. life expectancy has dropped for the second year in a row:
The increase largely stemmed from the continued escalation of deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, which jumped to 19,410 in 2016 from 9,580 in 2015 and 5,540 in 2014, according to a TFAH analysis of the report.
[...] The surge in overdose deaths has depressed recent gains in U.S. life expectancy, which fell to an average age of 78.6, down 0.1 year from 2015 and marking the first two-year drop since 1962-1963.
In a separate report, the CDC linked the recent steep increases in hepatitis C infections to increases in opioid injection.
Researchers used a national database that tracks substance abuse admissions to treatment facilities in all 50 U.S. states. They found a 133 percent increase in acute hepatitis C cases that coincided with a 93 percent increase in admissions for opioid injection between 2004 to 2014.
From the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
(Score: 5, Insightful) by bob_super on Saturday December 23 2017, @12:10AM (2 children)
> 33,000 firearm related deaths - 40,200 auto accident deaths - 42,249 opioid deaths
... 3000 to 40000 flu deaths, none to dozens of terrorism deaths.
Funny how the response is not necessarily proportional to the problem.
(Score: 2) by arcz on Saturday December 23 2017, @02:07AM (1 child)
Typically speaking when people attack you once and you don't respond they intend to keep doing it over and over.
Since when has a terrorist, who was able to bomb a building and got away with it, decided (hum I think I've done enough I'll just stop attacking now)
Sure the ones in the plane died, but not the masterminds behind it. That's like claiming if an army comes and starts shooting at you and kills one person and you kill the other army, that it was an overreaction. Obviously not.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 23 2017, @10:07AM
> if
an army18 Saudi nationals comes and starts shooting at you and kills one person and you kill theother armyMuslim population of the middle eastfixed