The Washington Post (8/21, Cunningham) “The Health 202” blog reports “a new government survey shows opioid abuse is declining by double digits – welcome data to public health advocates and policymakers who are wrestling with an epidemic that has crippled communities across the nation.” The survey, released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on Tuesday, indicated that 11 percent “fewer Americans reported pain reliever misuse in 2018 compared with the year prior,” and that heroin use was down by approximately 15 percent.
In 2016, Americans Spent $145 Billion On Cannabis, Cocaine, Heroin And Methamphetamine , Report Finds Healio (8/21) reports research indicates that “in 2016, Americans spent $145 billion on cannabis, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine,” with “most spending…attributed to those who use drugs on a daily or almost daily basis.” Investigators arrived at these conclusions after using “multiple databases to collect information on illicit drug users and amounts of drugs purchased, including Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services.” The report’s findings were published on the RAND Corporation website.
Related Links:
— “The Health 202: Fewer Americans are abusing opioids. But the improvements vary dramatically by state., ” Paige Winfield Cunningham, The Washington Post, August 21, 2019