Drug Use Now Kills More People Than Traffic Accidents [Study]
In 1979 the U.S. Government began tracking drug-related deaths and for the first time those deaths have surpassed the number of traffic fatalities on an annual basis.
The most recent statistics which were taken in 2009 shows that 37,485 people died in traffic related accidents while 36,284 people died from drug related activities in a one year period.
Surprisingly the main culprit of those deaths were not street illegal drugs but rather prescription options including Xanax, OxyContin and the main culprit Vicodin which killed more people than cocaine and heroin combined.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times a Santa Barbara sheriff said:
“The problem is right here under our noses in our medicine cabinets.”
The study also revealed that traffic related fatalities have actually fallen by a third since the 1970s even as the number of drivers using American roadways continues to increase, while drug related deaths have doubled in the last decade. Deaths among the 50-year-old to 69-year-old crowd have been even worse, tripling during the same time period.
Not all deaths have been related to drug overdoses from drug abuse, in many cases accidental double dosing by adults has been the culprit.
When asked how drug related deaths can be reduced one researcher said:
“What’s really scary is we don’t know a lot about how to reduce prescription deaths,” while adding, “It’s a wonderful medical advancement that we can treat pain, but we haven’t figured out the safety belt yet.”
In the meantime parents are urged to speak with their kids not just about street illegal drugs but also the medications found in medicine cabinets which can be just as addictive and just as deadly.
Tags : deaths, Drug Overdose, Drug Statistic, drugs, Traffic Accidents, US Death Toll, US Deaths
Posted: September 18, 2011
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Sep 20, 2011
Double dosing is overdosing.
Sep 20, 2011
Karla you are correct but read the sentence again: "Not all deaths have been related to drug overdoses from drug abuse, in many cases accidental double dosing by adults has been the culprit." It states that not all drug overdoses are from "Abuse" of drugs. Instead that accidental double dosing has been to blame
Sep 21, 2011
Big Pharma is the REAL drug cartel in North America. Their overmedicating of the American public through obscene advertising leads to nearly 100,000 deaths per year! Prescription drugs are more dangerous than any felony drug substance in the world including heroin, cocaine and even alcohol combined. Read about this issue and what’s killing people at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/07/illustration-friday-800-milligrams.html.
Sep 21, 2011
James Allen Johnson Oh,I didn't mean those who double dose are abusers. Still,if you accidentally overdose you can die but that isn't the pharms fault any more than drug abuse is. I have no sympathy for Big Pharma. Their main interest is making money and couldn't care less who is hurt other than it coming out of their pockets. Over prescribing by the doctor makes the doctor responsible too and not paying attention to drug interactions. Pharmaceuticals have saved people's lives as well as well as extended otherwise shortened lives but like any other corporation it is inclined to corruption.
Mar 3, 2013
I have teens and are around many teens. The article says speak with your children, but the kids I see with those prescription drugs get them from either there parents or grandparents. So maybe who needs to be talked to is the adults.