Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana’s Fatal Drug Overdose Rates Revealed

New research conducted by the Amethyst Recovery Center has revealed America's hotbed for addiction and fatal overdoses. Analyzing heartbreaking statistics from all 50 states, they were able to determine the state that has suffered the most drug-related deaths. While southern states lead the country in these senseless losses of life, one state is the epicenter of the Midwest's fatal drug epidemic. Though each has its share of overdoses, which state, Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio, sees more annually?

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According to National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) statistics, fatal drug overdoses have been steadily and alarmingly rising over the last two decades, going from under 20,000 deaths in 1999 to 107,941 in 2022.

State With the Most Fatal Overdoses: Michigan, Indiana, or Ohio?

Sadly, these overdoses aren't all the result of street-level drugs. Many lose their lives due to overdependence and eventual addiction to prescription drugs. Discussing the results of the study, Nicholas Bellofatto, Director of Admissions for Amethyst Recovery Center, shared his thoughts on the findings:

As the data shows, this is evidently worse in certain states. This could be due to variety of reasons, such as socioeconomic factors, accessibility to drugs, and the high number of doctors prescribing medications in these areas.

Bellofatto calls out the opioid epidemic as a driving factor in the increase in fatal overdoses. A United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) report revealed that Americans take more opioids than any other country.

With Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio full of hardworking, blue-collar folks, it's easy to see how a workplace accident, the need for a paycheck, and the desire to keep moving forward could lead to a prescription drug addiction.

So, which of the 3 deals with more tragic drug overdoes annually? Scroll on for insight on each of the 50 states.