Opioid-related deaths in the United States have seen an exponential rise in the past two decades. Whether synthetic (eg, fentanyl or heroin) or natural (eg, opium), the addictive potential of opioids can lead to psychological dependence and drastically decrease life expectancy.
For the first time since the early 1960s, the United States has seen a 2-year drop in life expectancy. A major reason for this is the rise in opioid use. The adverse events resulting from opioid use are not limited to street use. Prescribed opioid medications are more accessible and cheaper.
From 2006, and peaking in 2012, there was an alarming increase in opioid prescriptions. In 2012, 255 million prescriptions were made at a rate of 81.3 prescriptions per 100 persons. The United States has more opioid-related deaths and prescriptions per capita than any other country. The statistics are clear. The United States has an opioid problem.
However, the problem is more complicated than simply decreasing the number of opioid prescriptions. In fact, in 2020, the opioid dispensing rate was the lowest it had been in 15 years. But opioid-related deaths remained high and topped 100,000 in the same year. This was a 28.5% increasefrom the year prior.
