The Stunning Spread Of The Opioid Painkiller And Heroin Epidemic, In One Map

(Vox, April 9) A map of the United States illustrates the heroin epidemic as it sweeps its way across the country. The map, created by software company Socrata using data from the CDC, shows the growth of heroin use from 2004 to 2014. The overdoses can be traced back to the rise in opioid painkiller abuse, which caused the deaths of tends of thousands. Those who couldn't get more pills turned to a cheaper and readily-available alternative—heroin. The map shows the difference between 2004 and 2014 deaths, with 2014 setting a record-level of 47,000 deaths alone. READ MORE.