Officials: Opioids kill more people than breast cancer

In 2016, 42,249 people died from opioid overdoses, compared to the 41,070 people who die from breast cancer annually

December 21, 2017 12:23 PM

In this June 6, 2017, file photo, a reporter holds up an example of the amount of fentanyl that can be deadly.

By EMS1 Staff

WASHINGTON — A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics revealed that more people died in 2016 from opioid overdoses than the annual number of breast cancer fatalities.

The report said that 66 percent of the 63,600 overdose deaths in 2016 were opioid-related, totaling 42,249 fatalities, which is over a thousand more than the 41,070 American lives that are lost to breast cancer annually, according to CNN.

This map shows the age-adjusted opioid death rates by state, and the colors label where the state stands compared to the rest of the country.

The report said the increase in deaths was caused by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and tramadol becoming prevalent. Since 2013, the rate of deaths from synthetic opioids has jumped 88 percent each year.

Heroin overdose deaths have also increased, jumping an average of 19 percent each year, according to the report.