Dying from an opioid overdose is more common than you think

Since 2000, the number of overdose deaths from drugs in the U.S. has risen more than 137%. Deaths from opioids—which include painkillers and heroin—make up a large portion of these deaths; 91 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.

Federal numbers like these reveal a dire situation. But a new study finds that many opioid-related deaths are underreported, and that the full picture of the epidemic may be worse than even those numbers show.