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Advancing Access to Addiction Medications: Implications for Opioid Addiction Treatment

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There is an epidemic of overdose deaths from opioid pain relievers in the United States according to a November 2011 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The overdose death rate continues to worsen. It is now comparable to deaths from motor
vehicle crashes involving persons under age 65. Overdose death rates have more than tripled since 1990. ยท The CDC's report shows that the opioid overdose death rates vary fivefold by state, with higher death rates in states with high rates of poverty, and higher death rates among nonHispanic whites and native Americans/Alaska Natives. Opioid overdose death rates were highest among persons aged 45-54 years. The overdose rate for this group also saw the biggest increase from 1999 - 2010.

http://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/aaam_implications-for-opioid-addiction-treatment_final