> Last November, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that for the first time, drug overdose deaths topped 100,000 annually. According to the CDC, more than 102,000 Americans die of diabetes each year, and more 134,000 die from Alzheimer’s Disease.

> A large portion of these overdose deaths are attributed to opioids. The CDC estimates approximately 75,000 of the deaths in that 12-month period were caused by opioids.

https://www.kunc.org/show/kuncs-colorado-edition/2022-03-07/how-the-pandemic-has-worsened-colorados-part-in-americas-overdose-death-epidemic