U.S. Drug Deaths Hit Dreaded Six-Figure Milestone
The U.S. government has announced that more than 100,000 people have died of overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021, the first time that drug-related deaths have reached six figures in any 12-month period. The new figures have been largely connected to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Landwebs
The U.S. government has announced that more than 100,000 people have died of overdoses between April 2020 and April 2021, the first time that drug-related deaths have reached six figures in any 12-month period, reports the Washington Post.
The new figures, which represent a 28.5 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, have been largely connected to the financial, social, mental health, housing and other difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram also noted a rise in fentanyl seizures, which she said have reached 12,000 pounds in 2021, and cited an increased use of methamphetamine as a factor.
The increasing severity of the drug crisis has prompted the Joe Biden administration to focus more effort on harm-reduction strategies, including trying to increase distribution of the overdose antidote naloxone and fentanyl test strips to users, to keep them alive while the government expands prevention and treatment programs.
The administration is asking Congress for $11 billion in the 2022 budget to fund anti-drug programs, which also emphasize prevention, treatment and recovery services.
See also:
How Harm Reduction Can Help Win the Fight Against Opioids, The Crime Report, Oct. 28, 2021
Soaring Drug Deaths Prompt $4B Investment in Treatment-Based Practices , The Crime Report, Aug. 13, 2021
