WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The last year has been difficult in so many ways. The isolation and shutdown of communities have directly impacted virtually everyone, but some vulnerable groups of society more than others. Since the COVID-19 related social distancing began, the frequency of alcohol and substance use has dramatically increased. In 2020 we saw the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period; a statistic largely missed by the press due to the dominance of COVID-19 coverage.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid deaths have surged in our area. In 2020, D.C. saw fatal opioid overdoses increase by an astonishing 46%, Maryland saw a nearly 55% increase in some counties, and Virginia experienced its deadliest year ever for opioid-related fatalities.
Quick Stats
Since 1999, nearly 1,000,000 people have died from a drug overdose. CDC
Between March 2020 and March 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down normal daily routines, more than 96,000 drug overdose deaths were reported in the United States alone. CDC.
An estimated 23.5 million Americans have at least one addiction, but only 11% receive treatment. Drugfree.org
254 people die every day from a drug overdose, which is now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50.
Like other chronic diseases, addiction can be managed successfully. NIDA.
Most people who get into and remain in treatment stop using drugs, decrease their criminal activity and improve their occupational, social, and psychological functioning. NIDA.
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