When it comes to addictive substances, opioids like heroin and fentanyl have in recent years been dominating headlines around the country. And rightly so: Nationally, the number of opioid overdose deaths more than quadrupled from 2000 to 2016. But as concerning and dangerous as opioids are, we shouldn’t forget about another addictive substance that’s long been known to disrupt lives: Alcohol. A new report from the California Health Care Foundation examines substance use disorders in California, exploring the trends and impacts of the use of alcohol, opioids, and other substances over time. Health reporter Kerry Klein breaks down some of the findings, such as the prevalence of alcohol use disorder compared to other drugs, and some of the disorder’s fatal and non-fatal consequences. Listen to the interview for more.
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