The top of the infographic divides into three sections; depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Each section is classified into Effects and Potential harm; stick figures and icons are shown to depict each of them. A picture of capsules, tablets, etc., are shown in each section.
Effects stated under Depressants are euphoria, decreased pain, and drowsiness. Potential harms are coma, liver disease, and suffocation in sleep.
Effects stated under Stimulants are heightened energy, increased endurance, and suppressed appetite. Potential harms are seizures, tooth decay, and stroke or heart attack.
Effects under Hallucinogens are emotional rollercoaster, distortion of time, and hallucinations. Potential harms are Long-term flashbacks, memory impairment, and depression.
Text at the bottom reads, A Country in Crisis; The Opioid Epidemic.
The United States is experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of opioid misuse.
LEFT Various government statistics on the opioid epidemic, HHS, 2016.
RIGHT Number of deaths by type of opioid and altogether, CDC, 2016.
The Opioid Epidemic in the U.S. in 2016
11.5 million people misused prescription opioids
2.1 million people misused prescription opioids for the first time
42,249 people died from overdosing on opioids
2.1 million people had opioid use disorder
948,000 people used heroin
17,087 deaths attributed to overdosing on commonly prescribed opioids
19,413 deaths attributed to overdosing on non-methadone synthetic opioids
170,000 people used heroin for the first time
15,469 deaths attributed to overdosing on heroin
504 billion dollars in economic costs, 2015 data
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services., n.d.. About the U.S. opioid epidemic.
Retrieved from https;//www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/
A graph beside shows the number of Overdose Deaths Involving Opioids, by Type of Opioid in the United States, through the years 2000 to 2016.
The horizontal axis identifies years from 2000 to 2016, and the vertical axis identifies Deaths per 100,000 population ranging from 1 to 14.
Five curves on the graph represent heroin, methadone, natural and semi-synthetic opioids, Other synthetic opioids, e.g., fentanyl, tramadol, and any opioid.
Deaths per 100,000 population by any opioid starts at 3 per 100,000 population in 2000 and steeply climbs to 8 per 100,000 population in 2013 and reaches its peak of 13.5 per 100,000 population in 2016.