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by ses1984 872 days ago
Statistics are fuzzy on this, because you can’t always positively determine intent, to separate accidental overdose from suicide.

The number of overdose deaths are spiking, driven by fentanyl. That is 100% fact based.

Now you have to make a qualitative judgement: I think most ODs are accidental when this is studied. Did a whole shitload of drug users just become unusually suicidal? I would say it’s safer to assume “no” unless you see evidence to the contrary.

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/MDU/SpecialReport/Fent...

Look at figure 2 here: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overd...