Opioids Are Now Responsible for 1 in 5 Deaths Among Young Adults

In 2016, one in 65 deaths in the United States involved opioids — and among younger adults, that number skyrocketed to one in five, according to a new study.

Data has shown for years that deaths involving both prescribed and illicit opioids are rising sharply. They've nearly doubled since 2009, and have infiltrated all genders, demographics and geographic areas, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.