minnpost.com: The opioid epidemic is a global problem. And it's getting worse

5/14/2018

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 115 people die every day in this country of an opioid overdose.

The opioid crisis isn’t only an American problem. It’s a global problem that’s getting steadily worse, and according to some experts, is in danger of becoming a global pandemic.

To be clear, the sheer numbers in the U.S. dwarf those of any other country. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 115 people die every day in this country of an opioid overdose — about 42,000 in 2016. Roughly 40 percent had a prescription for the drug. The White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates that in 2015, the epidemic cost the United States more than $500 billion, or 2.8 percent of GDP.

But it’s not just about Prince. And it’s not just West Virginia.

Consider the following. Iranian media say that over the years, an estimated 4,000 police officers have been killed fighting drug traffickers, some of whom are armed with heavy weapons like anti-aircraft guns. Iran shares a long border with Afghanistan, which grows the vast majority of the world’s opium poppies. Officials say the number of regular drug users in Iran has more than doubled since 2011. About two-thirds of them use opioids.

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