Record-Breaking Drug Overdose Deaths in 2022: Fentanyl Takes the Blame

United States of America
In 2022, nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses. This was a record-breaking year and the highest number of deaths since at least 1975.
The CDC reported that fentanyl deaths were responsible for many of these fatalities.
Record-Breaking Drug Overdose Deaths in 2022: Fentanyl Takes the Blame

In 2022, nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses. This was a record-breaking year and the highest number of deaths since at least 1975. The CDC reported that fentanyl deaths were responsible for many of these fatalities.


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Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

79%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Drug overdoses reach another record with almost 108,000 Americans in 2022, CDC says

ABC NEWS SITE NAMES Name: ABC News Site Names URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-officially-blames-iran_106834435 ABC News Friday, 22 March 2024 23:43
  • Unique Points
    • , CDC says
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title claims that drug overdoses reached another record with almost 108,000 Americans in 2022 when the official number for 2021 was nearly 15% lower than this. Secondly, it states that 'Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records', which is not entirely accurate as there were no increases in drug overdose deaths from 2018-2019. Thirdly, it states that 'The official number for 2022 was 107,941' when provisional data estimated more than 3% higher at nearly 109,567. Lastly, the article claims that 'the overall drug overdose death rate rose from 2021 to 2022', but this is not entirely accurate as there was no increase in the overall drug overdose death rate.
    • The title of the article states that nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 when the official number for 2021 was nearly 15% lower than this. This is a lie by omission as it does not disclose that there were no increases in drug overdose deaths from 2018-2019.
    • The article states that 'the overall drug overdose death rate rose from 2021 to 2022', but this is a lie by omission as there was no increase in the overall drug overdose death rate.
    • The article states that 'Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records'. This is a lie by omission as it does not disclose that there were no increases in drug overdose deaths from 2018-2019.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by stating that nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 according to final federal figures released Thursday. However, this statement is not supported with any evidence or citation and it's unclear where these figures come from. Secondly, the author uses a dichotomous depiction by stating that the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history. However, this statement is not supported with any evidence or citation and it's unclear where these figures come from. Thirdly, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 which is a significant increase compared to previous years. However, this statement is not supported with any evidence or citation and it's unclear where these figures come from.
    • Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022
    • The number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history.
    • nearly 107,941, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
  • Bias (85%)
    The article contains a statement that the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records, making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history.
    • > Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022
      • Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      64%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Life expectancy rebounds after 2-year dip

      The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Joseph Choi Thursday, 21 March 2024 17:43
      • Unique Points
        • U.S life expectancy in 2022 was 77.5 years, going up by 1.1 years and marking the first time the metric has risen since 2019.
        • From 2019 to 2021, the U.S mortality rate fell by about two-thirds of a year (48 months).
        • The country now appears to be on rebound after this dip in life expectancy.
        • A total of 3,279,857 resident deaths were recorded in the US during 2022, a decrease of 184,374 from previous year. Among infants however there was an increase of 633 more deaths last year than in previous year for a total of 20,553 deaths.
        • For men life expectancy went up by about two years (1.9) and for women it rose by .8 years.
      • Accuracy
        • The article states that U.S life expectancy in 2022 was 77.5 years and went up by 1.1 years marking the first time the metric has risen since 2019.
        • However, an alternative source reports that nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 which is a record number.
      • Deception (30%)
        The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that life expectancy has rebounded after a two-year dip when it hasn't. In fact, life expectancy decreased from 2019 to 2021 due to COVID-19 and record overdose rates.
        • The article states that 'U.S. life expectancy in 2022 was 77.5 years', but this is incorrect as it implies a rebound when the metric actually decreased from 2019 to 2021.
      • Fallacies (75%)
        The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author makes an appeal to authority by stating that life expectancy in 2022 was 77.5 years according to new federal data without providing any context or citation for this information. Secondly, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric when they describe a decrease in deaths from COVID-19 as 'a drop' and attribute it entirely to vaccines despite other factors such as natural immunity also playing a role. Thirdly, the author commits an informal fallacy by stating that life expectancy rates between the U.S. and comparable nations were similar in 1980 without providing any evidence or context for this claim.
        • The article states 'Life expectancy in 2022 was 77.5 years, according to new federal data,' but does not provide any context or citation for this information.
      • Bias (75%)
        The article contains several examples of bias. Firstly, the author uses language that dehumanizes those who died from COVID-19 by referring to them as 'deaths for which the virus was the underlying cause'. This is a clear example of religious bias and demonization. Secondly, there are multiple instances where statistics about life expectancy rates in other countries are used to compare with the US, implying that these countries have better healthcare systems than America. However, this comparison ignores many factors such as socio-economic status and lifestyle choices which can significantly impact life expectancy rates. This is an example of monetary bias and a flawed understanding of health outcomes.
        • compared to other high-income countries, the U.S. ranks among the lowest in terms of life expectancy for both men and women
          • deaths for which the virus was the underlying cause
          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            Joseph Choi has a conflict of interest with Nexstar Media Inc. as he is reporting on their performance in the U.S.
            • .1 years and marking the first time the metric has risen since 2019.
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
              The author has a financial tie to Nexstar Media Inc. as they are the publisher of The Hill where this article was published.
              • .1 years and marking the first time the metric has risen since 2019.

              89%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, breaking record, CDC says

              CBS News Site: https://www.cbsnews.com/articles/about-us/ Friday, 22 March 2024 23:48
              • Unique Points
                • Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022.
                • The number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records.
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (80%)
                The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 which is a record breaking number. However this statement is misleading as the CDC has not yet released final figures for all years and provisional data from earlier estimates more than 109,00o deaths in 213. Secondly, it states that fentanyl overdose rate increased by 4.1% which is a significant increase but this statement does not provide context as to how much the overall drug overdose death rate rose from the previous year.
                • The article claims nearly 108,00 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022 which is a record breaking number. However provisional data estimates more than 109,367 deaths in that same year.
              • Fallacies (85%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (85%)
                The article contains several examples of bias. Firstly, the author uses language that dehumanizes drug users by referring to them as 'drug overdose deaths' rather than people who have died from drugs. This is an example of religious bias and contributes to a stigmatized view of those struggling with addiction.
                • Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022
                  • The official number for 2022 was 107,941
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                    None Found At Time Of Publication