April/May 2018


U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths Continue to Rise


HBCU Health


death rates from synthetic opioids. Fourteen states had significant


increases in death rates involving


heroin, with Washington D.C., West Virginia, and Ohio having the highest rates.


increases


Eight states had significant in


death rates involving


prescription opioids. West Virginia, Maryland, Maine, and Utah had the highest rates.


BY CDC.GOV


An in-depth analysis of 2016 U.S. drug overdose data shows that is


America’s overdose spreading


increasing geographically


increases cocaine,


epidemic and


across demographic


groups. The report, from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), appears in today’s issue of MMWR.


Drug overdoses killed 63,632 Americans in 2016. Nearly two-thirds of these deaths (66%) involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Overdose deaths increased in all categories of drugs examined for men and women, people ages 15 and older, all races and ethnicities, and across all levels


of


urbanization. CDC’s new analysis confirms


that recent increases in drug overdose deaths are driven by continued sharp increases in deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF).


“No area of the United States


is exempt from this epidemic—we all know a friend, family member, or loved one devastated by opioids,” said CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, M.D. “All branches of the federal government are working together to reduce the availability of illicit


drugs, prevent from overdoses, treat people


deaths with


substance-use disorders, and prevent people from starting using drugs in the first place.”


CDC’s analysis, based on 2015-2016 data from 31 states and Washington, D.C., showed:


Across demographic categories,


the largest increase in opioid overdose death rates was in males between the ages of 25-44.


Overall drug overdose death rates increased by 21.5 percent.


from synthetic opioids (other than methadone)


The overdose death rate more than doubled,


likely driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF).


The prescription opioid-related


overdose death rate increased by 10.6 percent. The heroin-related overdose death rate increased by 19.5 percent. The cocaine-related overdose death rate increased by 52.4 percent. The psychostimulant-related


overdose death rate increased by 33.3 percent.


IMF is mixed into counterfeit opioid and benzodiazepine pills, heroin, and cocaine, likely contributing to increases in overdoses involving these other substances.


state. Opioid death rates differed across the states examined in


Overdose death rates differ by this


study: Death rates from overdoses involving synthetic opioids increased in 21 states, with 10 states doubling their rates from 2015 to 2016.


New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Massachusetts had the highest


increases


Sixteen states had significant in


death rates involving


with Washington D.C., Rhode Island, and Ohio having the highest rates.


Fourteen states had significant in


death “Effective, rates involving


psychostimulants; the highest death rates occurred primarily in the Midwest and Western regions.


synchronized


programs to prevent drug overdoses will require coordination of law enforcement, first responders, mental


health/substance-abuse


providers, public health agencies, and community partners,” said the report’s lead author, Puja Seth, Ph.D.


How to coordinate public-health the and public-safety


response to overdose deaths Today’s report highlights the


continued need for public health and law enforcement to work together in preventing overdose deaths and taking action to:


Protect people with opioid use disorder (OUD) by expanding treatment


capacity distribution. Support programs that reduce the


harms of injecting opioids, including programs offering screening for HIV and hepatitis B and C in combination with referral to treatment.


law enforcement and public-health agencies


Improve coordination to


reduce and improve


detection of the illicit opioid supply. Improve opioid prescribing


to reduce unnecessary exposure to opioids and prevent


addiction


Opioids for Chronic Pain. of prescription


by


training providers and implementing CDC’s Guideline


for Prescribing


Improve access to and use drug monitoring


programs. CDC’s Overdose Prevention in


States initiatives include funding for state-level public health efforts in 45 states and Washington, D.C., to implement key prescription and illicit opioid


surveillance and prevention


activities. CDC equips states with resources to prevent opioid misuse and overdose by tracking and monitoring the epidemic,


helping


scale up effective programs, and equipping health care providers with tools and guidance needed to make informed clinical decisions.


CDC is also working with High


Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) on the Heroin Response Strategy


to increase uptake of


community interventions that address the impact of illicit opioids. In March 2016, CDC released the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to provide recommendations to providers on the prescribing of opioid pain medication for patients 18 and older in primary care settings. Learn more at www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose.


among and naloxone Healthy Recipe Almost Vegan Lasagna


1 c Green lentils, washed 2 tb Olive oil 1 lg Onion, diced


1 md Carrot, thinly sliced 1 1/2 c Mushrooms, sliced 2 Garlic cloves, chopped 2 c Tomatoes, diced 2 tb Tomato paste 1 tb Parsley 1 ts Oregano 1 ts Marjoram 1 ts Soy sauce


Salt & pepper to taste


Lasagna strips, enough for 3 layers 3 1/2 c Water 1/2 c Cashews 1 ts Salt 1/2 ts White pepper 1 Bay leaf 1 ds Nutmeg 1/4 c Vegetable oil 1/2 c All-purpose flour 1 1/2 c Mozzarella style soy cheese -- OR Italian style almond -- cheese (optional)


Rinse lentils & cook for about 25 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving the stock. Heat oil in a large skillet & saute onions for 3 minutes. Add carrots, garlic & mushrooms & continue to saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add cooked lentils, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs & soy sauce. Add a little of the reserved stock if mixture is too dry. Cover & cook for 20 minutes to ensure that the flavours are well blended. Meanwhile cook enough lasagna strips to make 3 layers. Cook only till al dente. BECHAMEL SAUCE: Combine the water, cashews, salt, pepper & nutmeg in the blender & blend till smooth. Make the roux by heating the oil in a pot & stirring in the flour when hot. Slowly add the cashew milk, add the bay leaf & bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. When boiling, reduce heat to very low & simmer for about 1 minute or until the sauce starts to thicken. Set aside. Oil a casserole dish. Put a layer of lasagna in the bottom & layer with the lentil mixture followed by the bechamel sauce. Repeat, ending with a layer of bechamel. Top with shredded soy cheese if desired. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


The HBCU Advocate 15


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