Fentanyl has made headlines in recent years, mostly due to the high risk of overdose it carries and the fact that it’s increasingly being found in other drugs—even non-opioids. Data shows that using fentanyl can be a death sentence. A Mississippi fentanyl rehab center can help you or a loved one overcome fentanyl addiction.
While you might be aware that fentanyl is a public health issue, you may not realize how bad it is, especially in the state of Mississippi. A closer look at Mississippi’s fentanyl statistics shows just how serious the problem is.
Woodland Recovery Center offers support for overcoming dependence on all substances, including fentanyl. Call 662.222.2989 today to learn more about the substance use treatment programs available at Woodland Recovery Center.
The Problem with Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. It’s similar to opioids like morphine and heroin, but it is far stronger. In recent years, fentanyl use has become widespread. Fentanyl exposure can happen through:
- Knowingly taking fentanyl
- Taking other opioids that have been cut with fentanyl
- Taking non-opioids that have been contaminated with fentanyl
Fentanyl plays a significant role in the increasing opioid-related overdose and death rates seen across the county in recent years. Despite public campaigns aimed at increasing knowledge around the dangers of fentanyl use and the high risk of contamination, fentanyl overdose deaths continue to rise at an alarming rate.
Between 2019 and 2020, fentanyl deaths across the country increased by 50% and still saw an increase the following year. National trends show that fentanyl death rates are slowing, but they continue to increase each year.
3 Sobering MS Fentanyl Statistics
It’s critical to realize that many of the deaths noted in these Mississippi fentanyl statistics involve individuals who didn’t know they were using fentanyl. Other opioids like heroin and morphine are increasingly supplemented with fentanyl due to their potency.
Even individuals who have no intention of touching opioids end up dying due to fentanyl’s presence in drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine. In situations like this, an individual may not realize that a fentanyl overdose is occurring until it’s too late.
1. Fentanyl Causes Half of All Mississippi Overdose Deaths
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics is responsible for identifying perhaps the most distressing MS fentanyl statistics: opioids are responsible for 71.7% of all suspected Mississippi drug overdose deaths, and 50% of all overdose deaths involve fentanyl.
2. Mississippi Fentanyl Deaths Are Increasing Faster than in Other States
The U.S. saw a 15% increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths between 2020 and 2021. However, Mississippi comes in ahead of the national average with an 18.14% increase in fentanyl-related deaths in the same time period.
3. The CDC Ranked Mississippi Number 1 in Fentanyl Death Rate Increases
The CDC keeps a close eye on state statistics for all types of drug-related deaths. In their ranking of fentanyl death rate increases from 2019 to 2020, Mississippi topped the list of 50 states as the leader in the most significant death rate increase. While the national average sat at 50%, Mississippi ranked first with an increase of 55.1%.
Still, there is help and hope for anyone seeking substance abuse treatment to enter recovery. All you need to do is take the first step and reach out.
Beat the Odds at Woodland Recovery Center
Current Mississippi fentanyl statistics should serve as a wake-up call. Using fentanyl is a gamble with death, and it’s a gamble that increasing numbers of Mississippians lose each year.
Illicit substance use is never safe, but the pervasive presence of fentanyl in Mississippi increases the risk of death every time you get high, regardless of the type of drugs you’re using.
Woodland Recovery Center offers substance use treatment services for a wide range of addictions, including dependence on fentanyl. Give us a call today at 662.222.2989 or fill out our online form to learn more about getting help with substance use disorder at Woodland Recovery Center.
