Pubdate: Fri, 11 Dec 2015
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2015 Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.utsandiego.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386
Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area.

PAINKILLERS, HEROIN DRIVING OVERDOSE DEATHS

NEW YORK (AP) - Drug overdoses rose again last year, driven by surges 
in deaths from heroin and powerful prescription painkillers, 
according to new federal statistics. Overdose deaths in the U.S. 
surpassed 47,000 - up 7 percent from the previous year.

Many of the deaths were due to a group of powerful opioid 
painkillers, which have long been the leading cause of fatal 
overdoses. But the number had been stable recently.

Last year, the count rose to nearly 19,000 deaths, an increase of 16 percent.

Heroin deaths continued to climb, by 28 percent to about 10,500.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the numbers 
this week. They are based on death certificates.

The federal agency is analyzing the drug numbers to determine what 
caused last year's increases, said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden.

But clearly, he added, the nation's drug overdose problem "is not 
getting better."

Opioid pain relievers, including OxyContin and Vicodin, have been the 
focus of a government campaign to reduce overdose deaths. The CDC is 
working on new guidelines for doctors about how to more carefully 
prescribe such drugs.

But CDC officials believe at least some of the increase in painkiller 
deaths last year may be due to illegally-made fentanyl, which is a 
synthetic form of morphine.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom