"In a recent Medium post, Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., lamented the toll of addiction in his state and across the country. ""According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 120 Americans on average die from a drug overdose every day,"" Pitts wrote. ""Overall, drug overdose deaths now outnumber deaths from firearms."" We wondered whether those numbers were accurate, so we took a closer look. The CDC calculates overdose deaths from prescription drugs separately from overdose deaths from illicit drugs. To get the full number, you have to add both categories together. In 2014, there were 25,760 deaths from prescription-drug overdoses. That same year, there were 17,465 deaths from illicit drugs, including heroin and cocaine."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 120 Americans on average die from a drug overdose every day. Overall, drug overdose deaths now outnumber deaths from firearms.