The Impact of Drug Epidemic and High Mortality Rates in Eastern Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky, particularly the town of Hazard, has been facing the devastating consequences of the opioid crisis and drug epidemic. What used to be a thriving coal industry town now struggles with drug addiction and high mortality rates. The annual number of drug overdose deaths has been steadily increasing, with opioids being the biggest drug epidemic in American history. The problem has shifted from prescription opiates to methamphetamine laced with fentanyl, resulting in more deaths. The mortality rates in Hazard are among the highest in the country, highlighting the widespread health crisis in certain regions of America.