Drug overdose deaths more than tripled among people age 65 and older during the past two decades, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
Holly Francis, a volunteer with Boston Medical Center helped to plant some of the 20,000 purple flags in the Common that commemorate Overdose Awareness Day and kick off Recovery Month. Each purple flag represents one life lost to overdose in Massachusetts over the past 10 years.Deaths from drug and alcohol use are rising among America's seniors.
"We've got a public health problem coming at our door — these trends have been increasing for a long time now," said Alexis Kuerbis, a professor at the Silberman School of Social Work and an expert on substance use among older adults. Deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids increased 53% among seniors from 2019 to 2020, according to the data. Kuerbis said there's some evidence to suggest people who were prescribed opioids in their middle age for an injury later switched to fentanyl once it became harder to get a prescription.at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
Euthanasia by another name - when the time is right I too want to have a good and peaceful
Not surprising since drug use in every generation has increased incredibly. Coincidence that marijuana has become legal in so many states?