Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017 | 7 a.m.
CARSON CITY — Nevada ranked 11th in the nation in alcohol and drug deaths and suicides in 2015, according to a national study by a nonprofit organization.
The report, released today, said Nevada could see a 40 percent increase in such deaths over the next decade. The figures were issued by the Trust for America’s Health.
Nevada two years ago had a death rate of 53.8 percent per 100,000 population in these categories.
The report, however, does not address the steps taken by Gov. Brian Sandoval, the Legislature and Attorney General Adam Laxalt in 2016-17. At the suggestion of the governor, the Legislature tightened laws on prescribing opioids and allocated $1 million to alleviate the drug crisis. The state received a $9 million federal grant for a variety of programs and Laxalt used part of a $6.3 settlement with Volkswagen to enhance treatment, education and law enforcement programs.
The state Department of Health and Human Services has a goal of reducing opioid deaths by 18 percent next year.
Current figures say there is one death every day from abuse of prescription drugs in Nevada.
The report said that in 2015 there were 350 deaths per day due to drug overdoses, alcohol use and suicides.
New Mexico had the highest rate at 77.4 persons per 100,000 population. Nebraska had the lowest rate at 28.2 percent.
John Auerbach, president and COO of Trust for America’s Health, said there was a serious crisis across the nation. He said states must do more than reducing the supply of opioids, other drugs and alcohol.
“Greater steps — that promote prevention, resiliency and opportunity — must be taken to address the underlying issues of pain, hopefulness and despair,” he said in a prepared news release.
Drug overdose deaths in Nevada stood at 21.4 percent per 100,000 in 2015. Alcohol-induced deaths were at 15 per 100,000. Suicide deaths were 19.3 per 100,000 according to the report, which was prepared by the Berkeley Research Group.
The Trust group has 60 recommendations, many of which have been adopted such as increased education and treatment of these individuals for their problems.
It suggests suicides can be reduced by expanded programs of anti-bullying and social-emotional learning in schools; support systems for veterans and better integrating mental health into primary care.
It recommends lowering excessive alcohol use by limiting the hours of service and suggests, as one measure, a 10 percent increase on the price of alcohol, which may hard to enforce in a tourist-centric state like Nevada.
