Over 100,000 Drug Overdose Deaths Occurred In The US In One Year

For the first time ever, more Americans have died from drug overdoses in a 12 month period.

According to data released on Wednesday, more than 100,000 overdose deaths occurred between April 2020 and April 2021. This is a 28.5% rise since the prior twelve month period.

A study showed that many of the drug deaths happened in the spring of 2020, during the early stages of the pandemic.

There are two great contributors believed to have caused the increase. The stress from the effects of the pandemic is one. “A lot of drug addiction programs had to close or reduce their hours..so even as there was much more need, there was less access to care in many places,” a statement from a director at John Hopkins Public Health read.

The second factor is that illegal drugs on the streets have become more dangerous. Many dealers are combining fentanyl to the drugs which make them more deadly.

Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, and California had the highest percentage increase in overdose deaths.