Drug Overdose Deaths Skyrocketed Last Year In Washington State
May 10, 2021 11:41AM PDT
Credit: MGN
SEATTLE (AP) – Washington state’s Department of Health says preliminary data shows more people died of drug overdoses in 2020 than any other year in at least the last decade.
Authorities say the effects of the coronavirus pandemic likely led to a drug use surge.
The Seattle Times reports fatal drug overdoses increased by more than 30% last year compared to 2019.
That’s an increase more than twice as large as any other year over the last decade.
Officials are still analyzing the preliminary data and causes of death in specific cases and expect the number of overdose deaths to grow even higher.
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