from Felix Richter, Statista.com
by Niall McCarthy
Deaths from heroin overdoses are skyrocketing in the United States, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Between 2010 and 2013, they nearly tripled. Over 8,200 Americans died from heroin overdoses in 2013, averaging 23 every day.
One possible explanation for the increase in overdoses is the abuse of prescription painkillers. 75 percent of people who started using heroin after 2000 previously abused prescription opioids like oxycodone and fentanyl. Many switched to heroin because it was cheaper, easier to obtain and chemically similar to those opioids.
The death rate for males was nearly four times higher than for females in 2013. Indeed, Britain is experiencing a similar trend in terms of drug poisoning, especially in terms of gender. Men are far more likely to generally take risks than women and are more prone to ignoring the dangers of drug abuse.
This chart shows the number of drug-poisoning deaths involving heroin in the United States from 2000 to 2013.
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