Drug overdose deaths are surging across the U.S., driven by the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. But fatalities are also increasing due to a combination of opioids and stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines—and when looked at along racial lines, the number was even more dramatic among Black Americans, according to new research from NYU Langone. While overdose fatalities from opioids and stimulants rose across all racial groups and across the country, Black Americans died at three times the rate as non-Hispanic White people—particularly in eastern states. Investigators found that the rate of Black overdose deaths climbed by 575 percent, compared to 184 percent for White people. The report blamed a lack of access to healthcare and substance use disorder treatment services as the main cause of the increase.
Meanwhile, a report released by a congressional commission estimated that the opioid epidemic costs the U.S. roughly $1 trillion annually, up from $700 billion just a few years ago. The estimate is based on the fact that overdose fatalities have more than doubled in recent years, from about 44,000 in 2013 to more than 100,000 last year—and now outpace deaths from firearms, suicide, homicide, or car crashes. The report recommends expanding mental health services and access to treatment for those suffering from addiction.
And finally, the same report named Mexico as the main source of deadly fentanyl in the U.S., and warned that if policies are not changed to address the challenges of the addiction and overdose crisis, more lives will be lost. Last year, fentanyl accounted for nearly two-thirds of the more than 100,000 overdose deaths, as the powerful synthetic drug was taken directly by addicts or mixed by dealers into other drugs unbeknownst to users. While China had previously been the dominant source of fentanyl, Mexico is now the primary supplier, with the drug produced cheaply there and easily transported over the border.