KEY FINDINGS
Data from the National Vital Statistics System Mortality File. From 1999 through 2006, the number of fatal poisonings involving opioid analgesics more than tripled from 4,000 to 13,800 deaths. Opioid analgesics were involved in almost 40% of all poisoning deaths in 2006. In 2006, the rate of poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics was higher for males, persons aged 35-54 years...