New CDC: Drug overdose rates in the era of legalized marijuana.

CDC data for death rates, and Wikipedia data for state laws. | Dangus

[Ken H]

dangus: Alaska HAD one of the lowest overdose rates in 2010... Now, it’s one of the highest.

________

The numbers say otherwise. Your link shows that Alaska was one of the states where the death rate actually fell in 2018 compared to 2017 - and its rate in 2017 was below the national average*. Also, from the CDC table I posted, you can see that AK was below the national average in 2010-2016.

So where are you getting that Alaska has one of the highest rates in the country?

______

*”In 2017, there were 102 overdose deaths involving opioids in Alaska —a rate of 13.9 deaths per 100,000 persons compared to the average national rate of 14.6 deaths per 100,000 persons.”

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/alaska-opioid-summary

[A Navy Vet]

"Regardless of your anecdotes, the DEA said in 2016 that pot is not a gateway drug."

I don't care what a fedgov agency reports. I saw first hand pot users graduate to harder drugs. Go to any homeless encampment and ask the addicts if they started on coke, meth, or heroin first. No, they almost always started on pot or alcohol which leads to lack of ambition and the inability to function within societal norms. I feel bad for the mentally ill, but many are just bums who want no responsibility.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

No, they almost always started on pot or alcohol which leads to lack of ambition and the inability to function within societal norms.

I'd be willing to bet they all started smoking cigarettes first, then moved onto other drugs, such as pot and/or booze.

[A Navy Vet]

Don’t think I would include cigarettes as a gateway drug.

[NobleFree]

the DEA said in 2016 that pot is not a gateway drug.

I don't care what a fedgov agency reports. I saw first hand pot users graduate to harder drugs.

So if ANY pot user EVER moved on to harder drugs, pot is a gateway?

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Don’t think I would include cigarettes as a gateway drug.

I would. It's physically addictive and it's mood-altering.

If you were to ask, most started smoking as kids stealing cigarettes from their parents. It was their first 'high.'

[TheStickman]

Thanks for the ping.

I’ve been using Cannabis daily for 5 years. Still have zero desire to use or even consider using other drugs. When I started using cannabis I was severely obese & mentally ill.
Since I began using cannabis I lost 116 lbs over 4 years & all my mental illness symptoms.