CDC: Heroin Deaths Surpassed Firearm-Related Homicides in 2015
Written by
AWR Hawkins Published: 09 December 2016
CDC: Heroin Deaths Surpassed Firearm-Related Homicides in 2015
The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numbers show heroin deaths surpassed firearm-related homicides for the first time ever in 2015.
The number of heroin deaths was 12,989 and the number of firearm-related homicides was 12,979.
The Washington Post published the CDC numbers, which show the deaths from all opioids combined topped 33,000 in 2015. That means opioid deaths outnumbered firearm-related homicides nearly 3 to 1.
Opioids include heroin and prescription drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and oxymorphone.