American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts

by Chris McGreal,
Psychology Today, December 7, 2018

West Virginia is ground zero of America’s opioid crisis. In 2006, the overdose death rate in the state was 16.2 per 100,000, well above the rest of the country. Most of the deaths involved opioids, prescribed to reduce pain, (especially OxyContin, which users often combined with benzodiazepines such as Valium). By 2016, the rate approached 52 per 100,000. The vast majority of victims were below the age of 50. Because of opioids thousands of children were placed in foster care, adding to the $8 billion the epidemic cost West Virginia for treatment, law enforcement, lost jobs and productivity.