overdose crisis
Fatal consumption surge
The overdose crisis is a public health emergency characterized by widespread fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses, particularly from opioids like fentanyl and heroin.
The term gained currency in North America during the 2010s as overdose deaths climbed sharply: The overdose crisis has claimed more lives than car accidents.
Also called the opioid crisis or opioid epidemic, though overdose crisis captures deaths from all drugs.
- fentanylSynthetic pain-blocking compound
- street drugsUnlawfully traded intoxicants
- naloxoneOpioid overdose antidote
- first respondersPersonnel arriving at emergencies initially
- opioidMorphine-class analgesic
heroin · epidemic · public health emergency · needle · emergency · paramedic · 911 · unconscious · breathing · fatal · harm reduction · drug policy · addict · relapse · tolerance · supply · dealer · pills
- health crisespandemic, epidemic, outbreak, health emergency, public health emergency
- addictionaddiction, drug addiction, substance abuse, drug dependence, substance dependency
- drug policynarcotics, drug reform, drug enforcement, drug policy, decriminalization
- social problemsinequality, racism, homelessness, poverty, injustice
overdose crisissocial stability
Absence of societal turmoil
family stability · social cohesion · economic prosperity · hope · recovery
overdose, crisis, over, dose, doses, dosed, dosing, dosage, overdoses