Geographic Distribution of Poisoning Deaths in U.S.

President Obama is visiting West Virginia today to address the opiate and other drug overdose death epidemic.

There is significant geographic variability in the prescription of narcotic opiate analgesics in the U.S.

Opiate overdose deaths tend to be increased in states with higher opiate prescription rates.

The chart above is reproduced from a figure in the NCHS Fact Sheet titled NCHS Data on Drug Poisoning Deaths. States in blue color have higher than expected numbers of poisoning death in 2012 U.S. data.

Unintentional drug poisoning represent 80% of all poisoning deaths with suicide representing about 13% and undetermined intent about 7%.

Opiate analgesics are present in about 40% of unintentional drug poisoning deaths. Opiate analgesic poisoning deaths have tripled in the U.S. over the last decade.

Readers with more interest in this topic are directed to the CDC website on Prescription Drug Overdose

Follow the author on Twitter WRY999