Drug overdose deaths hit record in 2017

Last year saw a 10% rise in overdose deaths, totaling more than 72,000 people. The increase came largely from a spike in fentanyl and other synthetic opioid overdoses, according to new preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control.

Between the lines: The opioid epidemic has evolved from being primarily driven by prescription drugs and heroin into being driven by synthetics. However, trends vary across the country, with overdose rates dropping in some states and rising in others, per the New York Times.