Fort Lauderdale, Dec. 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fort Lauderdale, FL - A recent report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics reveals the highest drug overdose death rate ever recorded in the US with roughly 100,306 Americans having lost their lives from April 2020 to April 2021. This is nearly a 30 percent increase from the previous year and is cause for concern as communities and families across the United States battle the ongoing opioid epidemic.

The head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta, called the tragic milestone “unacceptable” saying, “An overdose is a cry for help; for far too many people, that cry goes unanswered,” as he urged for more evidence-based strategies and stronger government response.

Experts point to the effects of the global pandemic as reasons for the surge in drug overdose deaths as COVID-19 has disrupted many of the addiction treatment programs and support services available to people.

The synthetic opioid fentanyl, often added to other drugs unbeknownst to users, remains the biggest culprit in fatal overdoses, but fatal methamphetamine overdoses have risen dramatically as well.

The head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Nora Volkov, predicts that the dangerous trend will continue as the spread of menacing street drugs, including counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl, carries on. The head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Anne Milgram, said, “This year alone, [the] DEA has seized enough fentanyl to provide every member of the U.S. population with a lethal dose.”

The efforts of law enforcement are being made increasingly difficult due to the cheap production of fentanyl and methamphetamine that is flooding into the U.S. through drug cartels in Mexico and other parts of the world.

Effective treatment for the disease of addiction is the best way to prevent a fatal drug overdose. David Levin, Clinical Director at Legacy Healing Center, a behavioral health center in South Florida and New Jersey, warned that “The disease of addiction metastasized in isolation. While in quarantine, we are especially vulnerable and susceptible to [addiction], depression, anxiety, and relapse because of the isolation, because of the quarantine, because of the fear.” Legacy's new Fort Lauderdale Addiction Treatment Center care is making a positive impact in the community already.

As dangerous counterfeit pills, fentanyl-laced street drugs, and the rise of methamphetamine overdose threaten more American lives than ever before, accredited high-quality addiction treatment centers in Fort Lauderdale and around the country. are now more important that than ever in the fight against addiction and drug overdose. Anyone in need of help with substance use disorder can speak to a treatment specialist at any time by calling (888) 534-2295. Visit www.legacyhealing.com to learn more.

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For more information about Legacy Healing Center Fort Lauderdale, contact the company here:

Legacy Healing Center Fort Lauderdale
Travis Benfaida
754-203-4541
1425 W Cypress Creek Rd
Suite 201, Fort Lauderdale Florida 33309

Travis Benfaida