Opioids

Nationwide, an estimated 52 million nonelderly adults live with mental illness, and Medicaid covers nearly one in three (29%) of them, or about 15 million adults. More than 1 in 3 Medicaid enrollees has a mental illness. Mental health treatment rates for Medicaid adults are higher than or similar to those with insurance.

This edition examines the role of news influencers in spreading misinformation, misleading narratives about harm reduction amid disparities in opioid overdose, and biases in artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

This brief analyzes the latest CDC data on adolescent overdose deaths, finding that from 2022 to 2023, there was a small reduction in overdose fatalities among adolescents (from 721 to 708 deaths). Additionally, the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has largely driven the increase in adolescent drug fatalities since the pandemic began, accounting for 76% of these fatalities in 2023. This analysis also explores federal and state policy responses to the drug crisis, such as requirements to stock naloxone in schools, accountability for social media companies, and national prevention education efforts.

This edition looks at how political rhetoric is driving misinformation about fentanyl and immigration, legal implications of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills sold on social media, and myths about opioid exposure.

• In the second half of 2023, opioid overdose deaths started to decline, and by December 2023, they were 20% fewer than there were in December 2022. Opioid death rates varied widely by race, ethnicity, age, and sex. In the second half of 2023, White people saw the largest decline (-14%) while declines in other racial and ethnic groups were much smaller. Opioid deaths increased for people 65+, while falling in all other age groups.

The side-by-side comparison tool provides a quick overview of former President Trump’s and Vice President Harris’ records, positions, public statements, and proposed policies on a range of key health care topics.