ERs Report ‘Alarming’ 30 Percent Spike in Opioid Overdoses

Emergency hospital visits for opioid overdoses increased by 30 percent across the country between July 2016 and September 2017, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC found an increase “for men and women, all age groups, and all regions, but varied by state, with rural/urban differences.” The Midwest region was hit hardest, with a 70 percent increase in suspected opioid overdoses reported in emergency rooms. States like Wisconsin and Delaware reported over 100 percent increases—109 percent and 105 percent, respectively. “Long before we receive data from death certificates, emergency department data can point to alarming increases in opioid overdoses,” said CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat, M.D. “This fast-moving epidemic affects both men and women, and people of every age." This comes as President Trump declared a 90-day public health emergency to free Americans from the "scourge of addiction” back in January, and recently suggested that drug dealers should get the death penalty.