In recognition of Poison Prevention Week (March 14-20), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is highlighting the growing issue of unintentional drug poisoning in the United States. More than 26,000 deaths from unintentional drug poisoning occurred in the U.S. in 2006. Opioid pain medications (e.g., oxycodones and methadone) were involved in more than half of these deaths. In recent years, this cause of death has more than doubled between 1999 and 2006. In 2006, 17,740 drug overdose deaths occurred among males and 8,660 among females. Male rates exceed females rates in every age group. However, male rates have doubled and female rates have nearly tripled since 1999. In response to this growing problem the CDC has developed an issue brief titled Unintentional Drug Poisoning in the United States.
