Older Black Men Face Alarming Overdose Death Rates Across U.S. Cities

A generation of Black men born from 1951 to 1970 is dying from overdoses at disproportionately high rates, driven by systemic inequities and the rise of fentanyl.

• Black men aged 54 to 73 in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and San Francisco are dying from overdoses at rates far higher than their peers of other races and age groups.
• Fentanyl, often mixed with other drugs like cocaine, has become a major factor in these deaths, with its potency and unpredictability increasing overdose risks.
• Systemic racism, mistrust of healthcare systems, and inadequate outreach have left this group underserved, with fewer addiction treatment options and less access to lifesaving resources like naloxone.
• Economic dislocation, the War on Drugs, and decades of incarceration have compounded the challenges faced by this generation, many of whom began using heroin in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Efforts to address the crisis have largely overlooked older Black men, with most addiction prevention and treatment programs targeting younger populations or broader demographics.

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