Healthcare

CDC warns of record number of drug overdose deaths

The Obama administration is warning about a “drug overdose epidemic” around the country.

{mosads}The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported Friday that about a half-million people have died from drug overdoses over the last 15 years.

That includes a record number of overdose deaths in 2014, according to the agency.

The majority of those overdose deaths involved opioids, such as heroin or prescription drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone.

That CDC reported a 14 percent uptick in opioid overdose deaths in 2014.

The number of deaths caused by heroin overdose has tripled since 2010 to 10,574 in 2014, according to the agency.