PA Now Tops Nation In Drug Overdose Deaths Among Young Men

By TOM DAVIS (Patch Staff)

Pennsylvania has the highest rate of drug overdose deaths among young adult men and teens, according to a new report.

The numbers are included in a report on teen substance abuse released Thursday by the Trust for America’s Health, examining federal statistics for 2011-13.

Pennsylvania topped the list, with 30.3 deaths per 100,000 young-adult male residents (see lists below) between the ages of 19 and 25.

For ages 19 to 25, New Jersey is fourth, with a rate of 29.1 per 100,000 males. When the category is expanded to males between 12 and 25, New Jersey is fifth with 15.3 per 100,000 males while Pennsylvania is second, with a rate of 17.1.

The age 12-25 male rate for Pennsylvania is nearly double what it was from 1999-2001, when it was 9.2. It jumped to 15.6 in 2005-2007.

Bucks in Pennsylvania and Gloucester County in N.J. led their respective states in overdose fatality rates among males ages 19 to 25, each of them nearly three times Philadelphia’s rate, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer analysis. In the eight-county region, more than 100 young men a year are dying from overdoses, according to the report.

The assessment report includes a review of 10 key indicators of leading evidence-based policies and programs that can improve the well-being of children and youth and have been connected with preventing and reducing substance— alcohol, tobacco or other drugs—misuse.

Pennsylvania scored seven out of 10 and, nationally, 24 states scored a five or lower. Minnesota and New Jersey received the highest score of 10 out of a possible 10 points, while four states scored the lowest, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi and Wyoming, with three out of 10 points, according to the report’s press release.

“More than 90 percent of adults who develop a substance use disorder began using before they were 18,” Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH, said in the release.

The increase in youth drug overdose deaths is largely tied to increases in prescription drug misuse and the related doubling in heroin use by 18- to 25-year-olds in the past 10 years – 45 percent of people who use heroin are also addicted to prescription painkillers, according to the release.

In addition, youth marijuana rates have increased by nearly 6 percent since 2008 and more than 13 percent of high school students report using e-cigarettes. Youth from affluent families and/or neighborhoods report more frequent substance and alcohol use than lower-income teens – often related to having more resources available to access alcohol and drugs.

Here is the state-by-state list for males between the ages of 19 and 25:

1. Pennsylvania 30.4
2. Utah 30.2
3. New Mexico 30.1
4. New Jersey 29.1
5. Nevada 28.0
6. West Virginia 26.5
7. Indiana 26.3
8. Kentucky 26.1
9. New Hampshire 25.2
10. Arizona 24.7
11. Connecticut 24.0
12. Missouri 23.8
13. Oklahoma 23.6
14. Wisconsin 23.6
15. Colorado 22.9
16. Ohio 22.9
17. Illinois 22.0
18. Wyoming 21.7
19. Maryland 21.4
20. Arkansas 20.1
21. Michigan 20.0
22. Delaware 19.6
23. Massachusetts 19.6
24. New York 18.2
25. Tennessee 17.6
26. North Carolina 17.4
27. Oregon 17.0
28. Washington 17.0
29. Alabama 16.0
30. Rhode Island 16.0
31. Minnesota 15.2
32. Texas 15.0
33. Alaska 14.6
34. Louisiana 14.6
35. South Carolina 14.6
36. Kansas 14.5
37. Vermont 14.2
38. Virginia 13.8
39. Idaho 13.6
40. Montana 13.6
41. Florida 13.2
42. Maine 12.8
43. Georgia 12.2
44. California 11.9
45. Iowa 10.7
46. Hawaii 9.9
47. Nebraska 9.4
48. Mississippi 8.4
49. South Dakota 7.7
50. North Dakota (no data provided)

Here is the list for males between the ages of 12 and 25:

1. New Mexico 17.3
2. Pennsylvania 17.1
3. Nevada 16.5
4. Utah 16.3
5. New Jersey 15.3
6. Arizona 14.9
7. Indiana 14.7
8. Kentucky 14.6
9. West Virginia 14.6
10. Oklahoma 14.0
11. Wyoming 14.0
12. Colorado 13.6
13. Missouri 13.5
14. Connecticut 12.8
15. New Hampshire 12.8
16. Wisconsin 12.7
17. Ohio 12.3
18. Delaware 12.2
19. Illinois 12.2
20. Maryland 12.0
21. Arkansas 11.6
22. Massachusetts 11.2
23. Michigan 11.0
24. New York 10.4
25. North Carolina 10.4
26. Washington 10.1
27. Tennessee 10.0
28. Oregon 9.7
29. Rhode Island 9.4
30. Alabama 8.9
31. Texas 8.6
32. Alaska 8.5
33. Kansas 8.5
34. Minnesota 8.5
35. Montana 8.3
36. Louisiana 8.1
37. South Carolina 8.1
38. Vermont 8.1
39. Virginia 7.9
40. Florida 7.8
41. Idaho 7.2
42. California 7.0
43. Georgia 6.8
44. Maine 6.6
45. Hawaii 6.4
46. Iowa 6.4
47. South Dakota 5.2
48. Mississippi 4.8
49. Nebraska 5.4
50. North Dakota (no data reported)