{"id":35650,"date":"2023-11-27T16:23:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-27T16:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=35650"},"modified":"2023-12-03T16:00:43","modified_gmt":"2023-12-03T16:00:43","slug":"dozens-of-us-adolescents-are-dying-from-drug-overdoses-every-month-%e2%88%92-an-expert-on-substance-use-unpacks-the-grim-numbers-with-3-charts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/dozens-of-us-adolescents-are-dying-from-drug-overdoses-every-month-%e2%88%92-an-expert-on-substance-use-unpacks-the-grim-numbers-with-3-charts\/","title":{"rendered":"Dozens of US adolescents are dying from drug overdoses every month \u2212 an expert on substance use unpacks the grim numbers with 3\u00a0charts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/ty-schepis-1172909\">Ty Schepis<\/a>, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/texas-state-university-1546\">Texas State University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Overdoses claimed more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/nvss\/vsrr\/drug-overdose-data.htm\">112,000 American lives from May 2022 to May 2023<\/a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 37% increase compared with the 12-month period ending in May 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vast majority of those who died were adults. But drug overdoses are killing young Americans in unprecedented numbers: The monthly total rose from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">31 in July 2019 to 87 in May 2021<\/a>, the period with the most recent data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=0nERiGAAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao\">scholar of substance use who focuses<\/a> on patterns that vary between age groups, I\u2019m struck by how adolescents\u2019 overdose deaths differ from adults\u2019 in terms of gender, race and ethnicity and the drugs causing these fatalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These differences mean that the groups considered to be at high risk and the strategies needed to prevent overdoses in adolescents should not be the same as for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Who is dying?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When the CDC examined data for Americans 10 to 19 years old, it found that, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/products\/databriefs\/db457.htm\">as is the case for adults<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">most adolescents dying from drug overdoes are male<\/a>. However, the share of girls among these fatalities is larger than the share of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than twice as many boys who are tweens or teens are dying of a drug overdose for every girl in that age group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Adolescent boys more likely to die from a drug overdose than girls\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/eXSNW\/3\/#?secret=mwGhtXcpVH\" data-secret=\"mwGhtXcpVH\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"183\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Among adults, three men die of a drug overdose for every two women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The share of fatal overdoses of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">white, non-Hispanic adolescents is vastly greater<\/a> than for their nonwhite peers \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7146a4.htm\">more so than for adults<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Fentanyl\u2019s often to blame<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another difference is what\u2019s causing these fatal overdoses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among adults, those who use <a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research-topics\/trends-statistics\/overdose-death-rates\">more than one drug are more likely to die from an overdose<\/a> than those who use a single drug. The most common combinations are fentanyl with another opioid, like a prescription medication, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/11\/13\/health\/polysubstance-opioids-addiction.html?searchResultPosition=1\">fentanyl with a stimulant<\/a>, like cocaine or methamphetamine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fentanyl on its own is the key culprit in adolescent overdoses. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">For teens<\/a>, 84% of fatal overdoses involved fentanyl, and 56% of all overdoses involved only fentanyl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Fentanyl increasingly involved in US adolescent deaths from drug overdoses\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/sCdJt\/1\/#?secret=Joz0Ix81S3\" data-secret=\"Joz0Ix81S3\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"266\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is consistent with my team\u2019s research indicating that <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111%2Fajad.13289\">rates of prescription opioid misuse fell<\/a> from 2015 to 2019 in both adolescents and young adults. It also squares with other data that shows deaths from <a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research-topics\/trends-statistics\/overdose-death-rates\">heroin-involved overdoses have declined<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fentanyl is among the most potent opioids available. It\u2019s estimated to be roughly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/stopoverdose\/fentanyl\/index.html\">100 times more potent than morphine<\/a> \u2013 a very strong opioid typically used in hospital settings. Teens and tweens usually have little tolerance to opioids because they often have not been exposed to them before, and fentanyl\u2019s high potency makes them <a href=\"https:\/\/sf.gov\/information\/about-fentanyl\">more likely to overdose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many adolescents accidentally take fentanyl when they ingest counterfeit pills that they believe are prescription opioids or stimulants, or other illicit drugs that are laced with the drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This unintentional use can make an overdose even more likely, because people who are unaware they are taking fentanyl are less likely to have the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/fda-approval-of-over-the-counter-narcan-is-an-important-step-in-the-effort-to-combat-the-us-opioid-crisis-198497\">overdose-reversal medication naloxone<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nmhealth.org\/publication\/view\/general\/6756\/\">fentanyl test strips<\/a> on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 67% of adolescent overdose deaths, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">a bystander was present who could have intervened<\/a>. Naloxone was administered in less than half of cases where a bystander was present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Opioids are behind the vast majority of adolescent overdose deaths in US\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/BIXlY\/8\/#?secret=xYwhvXZ59t\" data-secret=\"xYwhvXZ59t\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"389\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>Little to no prior drug history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Only 1 in 10 teens and tweens who died from a drug overdose had a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">history of treatment for a substance use problem<\/a>, and only 1 in 7 had ever experienced a prior nonfatal overdose. Adolescents who fatally overdose do not necessarily show the <a href=\"https:\/\/americanaddictioncenters.org\/adult-addiction-treatment-programs\/know-is-someone-on-drugs\">warning signs generally expected<\/a> beforehand, such as problems with alcohol or other drugs or prior substance use treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This pattern underscores the importance that all parents proactively talk with their children about substance use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/talk-they-hear-you\/parent-resources\/why-you-should-talk-your-child\">by the time they are 12 years old<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents who express their disapproval of substance use tend to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/TTHY-Mini-Broch-Bleed-2020.pdf\">prevent or delay it in their kids<\/a>. Having children who never use substances may be an unnecessary and unrealistic goal \u2013 after all, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.samhsa.gov\/data\/sites\/default\/files\/reports\/rpt39443\/2021NSDUHFFRRev010323.pdf\">most adults drink alcohol at least occasionally<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, parents can emphasize that their <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080%2F10550490701756146\">child\u2019s brain is changing rapidly and significantly<\/a> and that not using drugs or alcohol while young <a href=\"https:\/\/www.addictionpolicy.org\/post\/prevention-101-delay-the-onset-of-first-use\">helps promote healthy development<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>What parents can do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Having naloxone available can also be important. It prevents fentanyl and other opioids from causing an overdose by blocking access to opioid receptors in the brain. This potentially lifesaving drug is easy to use, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2023\/08\/30\/1196874196\/over-the-counter-narcan-may-be-too-expensive-for-some-people-advocates-fear\">cost of the over-the-counter version<\/a>, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodrx.com\/naloxone\">can exceed $50 for two doses<\/a>, makes it out of reach for some of the people who need it most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of naloxone like car insurance: You don\u2019t want to use it, but it\u2019s important to have in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your child never tries an illicit drug, they may be able to intervene and save a friend who overdoses. Everyone should know the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/stopoverdose\/fentanyl\/index.html\">signs of an opioid overdose<\/a> \u2013 they include shallow or no breathing, problems staying conscious, and cold, clammy skin \u2013 and be ready to intervene when they see someone of any age who appears to be experiencing one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, more than 4 in 10 adolescents who died from an overdose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/71\/wr\/mm7150a2.htm\">had a history of mental health conditions<\/a>. That\u2019s consistent with <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097%2FCHI.0b013e318172ef0ld\">research from my colleagues and me<\/a> linking <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/ADM.0000000000001131\">poorer mental health and opioid misuse<\/a> in adolescents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s also a strong link between <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007%2Fs00127-021-02199-2\">mental health conditions and drug overdoses<\/a> among adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this reason and many others, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/childrensmentalhealth\/data.html\">rising rates of adolescent depression<\/a>, I recommend that all adults \u2013 whether caregivers or other people in an adolescent\u2019s life \u2013 check in on their mental health regularly and recommend or seek treatment for any concerns as early as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/ty-schepis-1172909\">Ty Schepis<\/a>, Professor of Psychology, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/texas-state-university-1546\">Texas State University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/dozens-of-us-adolescents-are-dying-from-drug-overdoses-every-month-an-expert-on-substance-use-unpacks-the-grim-numbers-with-3-charts-215856\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ty Schepis, Texas State University Drug overdose deaths in the United States continue to rise. Overdoses claimed more than 112,000 American lives from May 2022 to May 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 37% increase compared with the 12-month period ending in May 2020. The vast majority of those who [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":35651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[42],"tags":[3419,3420,5940,6114,8483,3039,516,14884,13827,9538,10710,1242],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35650"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35650"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35652,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35650\/revisions\/35652"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}