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November 29, 2018

Overdoses Main Cause of Life Expectancy Decline in U.S.
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In health news, life expectancy in the United States declined from 2016
to 2017, the third consecutive year a decrease has been observed, in a
pattern unseen since World War II. The decline is due to an increase in
drug overdoses and suicides. A record 70,000 people died from overdoses
last year. Drug overdoses linked to the use of fentanyls-highly
addictive synthetic opioids-increased more than 45 percent in 2017. Drug
overdoses are the leading cause of death for adults under 55.


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