Rise Above

The Texas Teen Opioid Crisis: An Unsettling Continuation

In our previous post, we highlighted the alarming rise in opioid-related deaths among high school students, which left many of us questioning how such a sharp increase could occur. Today, we’re diving deeper into the statistics to uncover more about this disturbing trend.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, opioid-related deaths among Texans under 18 have surged by a staggering 620% from 2019 to 2022—jumping from 10 deaths to 62. This sharp rise in fatalities raises serious concerns and begs the question: Why is this happening?

Interestingly, while teen deaths have soared, opioid-related poison center calls have actually decreased by 17%, from 988 in 2019 to 822 in 2022. Emergency department visits for opioid issues have remained relatively stable, showing minimal change from 417 in 2018 to 389 in 2021.

These numbers point to a disconnect that we need to understand. Why are opioid-related deaths among teens climbing so rapidly, even as other indicators show improvement?

Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll delve into the “fear factor” and explore how perceptions and anxieties about drug use might be influencing these troubling statistics.