According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1999 to 2017, almost 400,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose. This guide is intended to offer an overview of facts about the epidemic, key resources for background and statistical information, facts about recognizing signs of opioid abuse, and guidelines regarding prescription and pain management. Get started here:
Opioid overdose deaths in South Carolina increased proportionately with national rates through 2013. Since then, the rate has increased from 5.2 deaths per 100,000 persons to 13.1 deaths per 100,000 persons in 2016—equivalent to 247 and 628 deaths. From 2013 to 2016, deaths related to synthetic opoids (mainly fentanyl) and heroin-related deaths rose from 50 to 237 deaths and from 32 to 115 deaths, respectively. (Source: NIDA)
