Deaths By Drug Overdose Have Risen for 11th Consecutive Year

Most of them involved painkillers.

Photo Removed
Complex Original

Blank pixel used during image takedowns

Photo Removed

For the 11th year in a row, deaths by drug overdose have increased. Also, federal data shows that the bulk of them were accidental deaths involving painkillers. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control shows that there were 38,329 drug overdose deaths in 2010. In close to 60 percent of the deaths, prescription drugs were involved.

Consistent with reports from previous years, drugs such as Vicodin were the biggest issue, accounting for 75 percent of the deaths by overdose. CDC director Thomas Frieden says that doctors prescribe the drugs without realizing how addictive they can be. Furthermore, the pain that they're prescribed for can be treated with drugs that aren't as problematic.

[via NY Daily News]

LIKE COMPLEX CITY GUIDE ON FACEBOOK

Latest in Pop Culture