CDC: Dramatic increase in OD deaths from smoking opioids/stimulants

In a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released last week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that overdose (OD) deaths from smoking illegally manufactured fentanyls and fentanyl analogs have increased dramatically, from 13.3% to 232.1% from 2020 to 2022. The study, “Routes of drug use among drug overdose deaths — United States, 2020‐2022” is by Lauren J. Tanz, ScD, and colleagues at the CDC and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.