Opioid overdoses in America worsen: CDC report

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The United State opioid overdose epidemic continues to worsen, according to a latest Vital Signs report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday.

The emergency department (ED) visits for opioid overdoses in 45 states increased 30 percent in the U.S., from July 2016 through September 2017, says the report.

"This fast-moving epidemic affects both men and women, and people of every age. It does not respect state or county lines and is still increasing in every region in the United States," said CDC Acting Director Anne Schuchat.

"Research shows that people who have had an overdose are more likely to have another. Emergency department education and post-overdose protocols, including providing naloxone and linking people to treatment, are critical needs," said Alana Vivolo-Kantor, a behavioral scientist in CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

The latest data shows that in 2016 opioid-related deaths increased 55 percent to 64,000 deaths in the U.S.

A Gallup study in last November found that people who believe drugs pose a serious problem in the United States rose for the first time in a decade to 71 percent. Enditem