Drug Overdose Deaths On The Rise In North Carolina

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the number of deaths from drug overdoses is still rising.

In fact, the agency is calling the problem an “epidemic.”

In 2014, more than 47,000 people died from drug overdoses, the most ever recorded.

The problem is growing in North Carolina, too. More than 1,300 residents died from overdoses here last year. That's a seven percent increase over 2013.

The CDC says the main drivers in these deaths are opioids – drugs like Vicodin and Percocet. Prescriptions for these pain relievers have quadrupled since 1999.

The report also blames a surge in heroin use, which is closely tied to painkiller addiction.

The CDC says reversing the epidemic is going to take safer prescribing habits and better access to medical and behavioral therapies for addicts.