An average of nine North Carolinians died each day from a drug overdose in 2020, a 40% increase from the previous year, NCDHHS announced on Monday. The increase during 2020 aligns with the increases experienced nationwide with the nation exceeding 100,000 deaths, health officials said. In North Carolina, the number of drug overdose deaths increased by nearly 1,000 deaths in 2020, NCDHHS reported.
