Drugs are now the leading cause of accidental deaths in the US. More than 50,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2015. This is a dramatic increase from previous years and is mainly related by deaths caused by heroin, fentanyl and opiods. This represents a 20% yearly increase from heroin and a steep 72% increase of deaths byt fentanyl. The increase was found across all age groups, sexes and races/ethniticies.
Deaths by car accidents have steadily decreased as a results of heavy investments in car and road safety. around 2010 drugs surpassed deaths by car and at the year of 2016 stands for almost 50% more than car deaths.
Its a nation wide epedemic while west Virginia and New Hampshire is listde as the states having the highest drug overdose death per person. In 2010, West Virginia moved into the top spot on the list of states with the highest number of drug deaths. From 2014 to 2015 alone, the number of deaths in that state increased by 12%. New Hampshire saw a 24% increase in deaths in that same time period.