The pandemic is contributing to increased substance use and deaths due to drug overdoses. New data displays that nearly 93,000 deaths were caused by overdosing during 2020. Parts of the American Rescue Plan aim to address the increasing substance use crisis. Read more here.
National News
Opioid use across America
Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults with chronic pain had used a prescription opioid in the past three months when surveyed in 2019, according to data published Thursday by the National Center for Health Statistics. Read more on Axios.
Opioid lawsuits are granting states with opportunities to choose where funding goes.
Funds from the recent opioid lawsuits could create new chances for those impacted. Each state involved in the lawsuits will have the task of deciding where the money goes. Currently, state officials are negotiating the terms of the lawsuits and how to allocate funds. Read more here.
The pandemic is creating a rise in emergency visits to the hospital caused by overdoses
Hospitals are seeing an increase in emergency visits relating to opioid overdoses. While hospital visits to the emergency room decreased in 2020 for other health related issues, overdose cases continue climb. Health care providers are concerned that more patients are not seeking help during this time if they are experiencing[Read More…]
Drug overdose deaths in 2020 hit highest number ever recorded, CDC data shows
Drug overdose deaths rose by almost 30% in the United States in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded, says the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 93,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2020, according to provisional data released by the CDC’s National Center for Health[Read More…]
US overdose deaths reach record high 93k during pandemic
It’s no secret that drug overdose deaths were at an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic, and new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proves it. Over 93,000 people died from reported drug overdoses in 2020 — a dramatic 29 percent increase in overdoses from 2019. Click[Read More…]
Excessive Drinking Increases Amid Pandemic
Americans responded to the stress of the pandemic by drinking more — a lot more, for some — and there’s a risk that those habits could stick, writes Axios’ Bryan Walsh. A survey from late 2020 found 75% of Americans increased their alcohol intake during the pandemic by at least one day per month,[Read More…]
As demand for mental health care spikes, parity with physical care remains elusive
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased strain on people’s mental health, and that has translated into increased demand for care. According to a law that’s been on the books since 2009, if a health insurance company provides coverage for mental or behavioral health, those benefits are supposed to be at parity with[Read More…]
The Opioid Crisis Hit Schools Hard. Now They Want Drug Companies to Pay Up
As the pandemic pushed students into a virtual classroom, the addiction crisis is affecting students now more than ever. School district leaders across the country say they have collectively spent at least $1.27 billion helping students affected by addiction. Now they’re advocating for the drug companies to pay up. “There[Read More…]
America Has a Drinking Problem
While alcohol has a prominent place in America’s history, the tradition of alcohol has swung between both extremes of binge drinking and abstinence. Today, with the stress and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of drinking is quickly increasing. The Atlantic explores what drives Americans to drink and takes[Read More…]