Drug overdose deaths among Ohio teens quadruple in past decade

Ohio is one of five states that saw the rate of teens who die from prescription drug overdoses quadruple over the past decade, according to a new national report (Source: “Drug Overdose Rates Soaring Among U.S. Youth,” HealthDay News, Nov. 19, 2015),

The Trust for America’s Health report found the drug overdose mortality rate for teenagers and young adults has more than doubled across the U.S. and increased fourfold in Kansas, Montana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The report found 7.3 deaths per 100,000 people ages 12 to 25 years were due to drug overdose in 2011-2013, up from 3.1 in 1999-2001. Over half of overdoses in 2013 were attributed to prescription painkillers.

Other trends noted in the report are more encouraging:

• Underage drinking has declined, with about 35 percent of high school students now reporting they drink compared with 45 percent in 2003.
• Cigarette smoking has fallen to historic lows among teenagers, with 5.6 percent reporting they smoked a cigarette within the past month compared to 9 percent in 2009.