{"id":1149,"date":"2024-11-12T15:40:40","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T20:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/injurycenter.umich.edu\/michigan-safer-opioid-prescribing-toolkit\/?page_id=1149"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T19:53:12","slug":"general-opioid-epidemic-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/injurycenter.umich.edu\/safer-prescribing-toolkit\/general-opioid-epidemic-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"General Opioid Epidemic Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"
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General Opioid Epidemic Resources<\/h1>\n\n\n

This section contains resources and general information about opioids and the opioid epidemic.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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Overdoses continue to claim more and more lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From 1999 to 2022, nearly 727,000 people died from an opioid overdose. In more recent years, that number has reached 100,000 deaths annually, with many more experiencing nonfatal overdoses. The rise in opioid overdose deaths can be attributed to three distinct \u201cwaves:\u201d<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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First Wave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first wave describes the rise of prescription opioid overdose deaths beginning in the 1990s as a result of increased prescribing of opioids. <\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Second Wave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The second wave began in 2010, with rapid increases in overdose deaths involving heroin.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Third Wave<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The third wave began in 2013, with significant increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly those involving illegally made fentanyl.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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While there is evidence that the fatality curve is at an inflection point with fewer deaths in 2023-2024 we are still seeing greater than 80,000 deaths per year and current efforts to reduce mortality need to continue.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Providers can make a difference<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Providers can help curb this trajectory by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n