Teen drug overdoses hit record high in 2022, driven primarily by fentanyl poisoning

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A record variety of high college teenagers died of drug overdoses in 2022 in an alarming development driven primarily by fentanyl poisonings from counterfeit capsules, in keeping with a brand new research printed in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Using information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Boston researchers discovered that a mean of twenty-two adolescents ages 14 to 18 years outdated died every week in the U.S. from drug overdoses in 2022. 

The loss of life fee for drug overdoses amongst teenagers is greater than double what it was in 2018, in keeping with the research, which is entitled “The Overdose Crisis Among U.S. Adolescents.”  

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A complete of 1,125 teenagers died of drug overdose or poisoning in 2022, making it the third-leading reason behind loss of life for youngsters throughout the nation – behind firearm-related accidents and motorized vehicle crashes, respectively, the report mentioned.

“Fewer teens than ever are actively using drugs, and yet more teens than ever are dying,” senior writer Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School, advised Fox News.

Teen taking pill

A record variety of high college teenagers died of drug overdoses in 2022 in an alarming development driven primarily by fentanyl poisonings from counterfeit capsules. (iStock)

“And that’s because drug use isn’t becoming more common — it’s becoming more dangerous.”

In 2002, 21% of high-school seniors mentioned that they had used a bootleg drug apart from hashish in the earlier yr. 

By 2022, that share had fallen to eight%.

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Meanwhile, no less than 75% of adolescent drug overdose deaths are from fentanyl poisonings, the researchers discovered. 

As different research have discovered, these poisonings primarily happen when teenagers inadvertently take counterfeit capsules laced with a deadly dose of the artificial opioid.

Parent with teen

Parents ought to have frank conversations with their teenagers about danger discount methods for these experimenting with medicine, the research writer famous.  (iStock)

“It’s really clear that the problems started to take off a little bit before COVID and then really accelerated during the COVID pandemic,” Hadland advised Fox.

“Teens were isolated and they weren’t able to go to school or engage in the usual activities — and we know that well being care methods turned tougher to entry.”

Now, there’s no signal of this development reversing or slowing.

Fentanyl Pills

U.S. Customs and Border Protection brokers seized over 1.2 million fentanyl capsules between two busts on Dec. 29. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The research recognized Arizona, Colorado and Washington because the hotspot states. There, adolescent drug overdose loss of life charges have been practically twice the nationwide common or increased between 2020 and 2022. 

Hotspot counties included Maricopa County, Arizona, and Los Angeles County, California, which had the best variety of overdose deaths (117 and 111, respectively).

“If Narcan was in our home, this could have been a very different reality.”

In March 2021, 17-year-old Xavier Gerchow was taking part in basketball with a pal earlier than he died of fentanyl poisoning.

When Gerchow felt sore after taking part in, his pal supplied to cut up a Percocet with him. Gerchow later went to sleep at his residence and by no means awoke. 

Gerchow’s pal was rushed to the hospital and survived, however Gerchow didn’t.

The Percocet turned out to be a pretend — it contained 99% fentanyl and 1% cocaine. 

“The pal didn’t cross away from the capsule as a result of he had a tolerance to fentanyl,” Madison Gerchow, Xavier’s sister, advised Fox. “But Xavier passed away within minutes because he had a clean system.”

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Experts advocate that folks talk about the risks of counterfeit capsules and hold over-the-counter Naloxone or Narcan – the overdose reversal medication – available at residence. 

Research has proven that about two-thirds of teenagers who die of an overdose cross away in their properties. 

“Often, health insurance will cover it with little to no co-pay, and I recommend that parents and teens keep this in their homes in a central location, just like you would a fire extinguisher,” Hadland prompt.

Narcan

Experts advocate that folks talk about with teenagers the risks of counterfeit capsules and hold over-the-counter Naloxone or Narcan – the overdose reversal medication – available at residence.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

While the physician recommends that folks emphasize to their teenagers that they need to keep drug-free, he additionally encourages dad and mom to have frank conversations about danger discount methods for these experimenting with medicine. 

“We can’t use scare tactics … [or] fearmongering, because when we’re overly dramatic, it turns teens off,” Hadland famous. “Studies show that when we’re overly dramatic, teens will sometimes do the opposite of what we hope they’ll do.”

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Madison Gerchow began the X Foundation in honor of her solely brother, Xavier. 

The basis goals to take away the stigma surrounding fentanyl poisoning by elevating consciousness and offering schooling concerning the epidemic.

“I want we had educated Xavier or ourselves and pals,” Gerchow mentioned. 

“If Narcan was in our home, this could have been a very different reality.”

For extra Health articles, go to www.foxnews.com/well being

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