Youth overdose death rates in Arizona for people ages 12 to 25 have more than doubled in the past 12 years. A recent report from the nonprofit organization Trust for American’s Health shows that from 2011 to 2013, 10.2 deaths were reported for every 100,000.
From 1999 to 2001 the rate was 4 per 100,000. The state has the eighth-highest rate of youth drug overdose death rates in the country. Sheila Sjolander with the Arizona Department of Health Services said illicit drugs aren’t the biggest problem.
“Well, in Arizona as I think is true nationwide, the most common drug identified in a drug overdose death is prescription painkillers.”
In 2001 no states had a youth drug overdose death rate above 6.1. Now, 33 states have a rate higher than that.