As reported in the News & Observer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a preliminary estimate that 2,505 people in North Carolina overdosed on opioids and other drugs last year.
That's a 22.5 percent increase from the year before. So far, 2,323 death have been reported in North Carolina for 2017, but that number could increase as reports are tallied.
State Health Plan members can do their part to fight the opioid crisis. The Plan offers an Opioid Resource Center with tips and resources to help.