The overdose epidemic

North Carolina has higher than average overdose death rates. Nearly all of these deaths involve prescription opioid pain relievers (like methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, tramadol, or hydromorphone).

"More than 27,600 deaths from unintentional drug poisoning occurred in the United States in 2007. Opioid pain medications (such as oxycodone and methadone) were involved in more than half of these deaths. Overall, the unintentional drug poisoning death rate has been rising in recent years and more than doubled between 1999 and 2007."  Read more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These medications are important tools to help those with chronic pain and those who have cancer and other serious illnesses. However, when used incorrectly, these medications can end a life. At Project Lazarus we strive to recorrect the balance between the use of the medications and the unintended consequences of their misuse and abuse.

Our investigations have revealed that many of those dying are pain patients who may not have gotten or understood the instructions from their doctors or pharmacists. Others who have died may have been abusing drugs that they got from their friends. Nobody deserves to die of an overdose, regardless of where the drugs came from. Read more about the principle of balance.