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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 23 2017, @04:50AM (5 children)
Life expectancy dropping might be a good indicator that a country is in decline. That it's also dropping in Russia, the other nuclear super power, makes me think the world is heading in a new direction.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 23 2017, @05:08AM (2 children)
Seriously? You need statistics to tell you America is circling the drain? How about you step outside and look around? Abandoned businesses everywhere. Beggars everywhere. Homeless people literally freezing to death under bridges. That is what America looks like today.
Merry Christmas, oblivious idiot.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday December 23 2017, @01:01PM (1 child)
There were beggars in the 80s too when I grew up. And some businesses types close while others open. Big deal.
Yes, statistics are more convincing than your economic tidbits.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday December 23 2017, @05:50PM
World Bank says Russia's life expectancy is going up right now.
Maybe link some actual statistics next time you cite them? Otherwise the tidbits and anecdotes are just as valuable.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday December 23 2017, @05:13AM
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.IN?locations=CN-RU-US [worldbank.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Hawkwind on Saturday December 23 2017, @07:47PM
Sooooo tempted not to say anything about this link, but I'll skip starting a chain. Link is to more recent data for the US, covering last year's decrease, statistically significant. Question, can anyone link to the difference methods used by The World Bank and the CDC? Also, does anyone know why AC thinks Russian life expectancy is going down?
Cheers