One-Fifth of Deaths Among Young American Adults Are Related to Opioids

One-fifth of deaths among young American adults are related to opioids, according to a new study.

Between 2001 and 2016, the number of deaths related to opioids more than quadrupled, HealthDay reports.

One in 65 deaths nationwide was related to an opioid overdose in 2016, the researchers report in JAMA Open Network.

“Despite the amount of attention that has been placed on this public health issue, we are increasingly seeing the devastating impact that early loss of life from opioids is having across the United States,” said lead researcher Dr. Tara Gomes of St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “In the absence of a multidisciplinary approach to this issue that combines access to treatment, harm reduction and education, this crisis will impact the U.S. for generations.”