A Trust for America’s Health report shows a dramatic spike in deaths due to drug abuse and suicide over the last twenty years, particularly among young people.

CEO John Auerbach says in 2017 Louisiana had 2,000 deaths from alcohol, drugs, and suicide, a seven percent increase over 2016. He says those rates are some of the worst in the nation.

“Part of that is related to the large number of people who are still are without health insurance, or who may have health insurance but have not been screened and connected into care.”

Drug deaths among Millennials were more than twice as likely to be opioid-related then all other drugs combined.

Millennial’s, those aged 23-38, are disproportionately likely to die by alcohol and drug abuse or suicide. Auerbach says that generation’s bleak economic situation, rising debt loads, and increasing levels of opioid abuse are major drivers, along with the fact that…

“Support of multi-generational families, and a sense of community involvement in their neighborhoods are not where they used to be, so people are feeling more socially isolated and alone.”

Millennial men were more than twice as like to overdose as millennial women, and more than four times more likely to commit suicide.

Auerbach says the numbers are startling and should prompt authorities to begin investing in programs that will directly target those drivers of death among the youth.

“We have seen, over the last decade, increases in alcohol deaths, and in suicides, when most other causes of death were leveling off or decreasing.”

White Millennials were more than twice as likely to die of overdose than other racial groups, and somewhat more likely to commit suicide.

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