In the decade from 2002 to 2011, the annual number of drug poisoning deaths involving heroin doubled, from 2,089 deaths in 2002 to 4,397 deaths in 2011. In 2002, non-Hispanic blacks aged 45–64 years and Hispanics aged 45–64 years had the highest rates of drug poisoning deaths involving heroin (2.2 and 2.0 deaths per 100,000, respectively). In comparison, in 2011, non-Hispanic whites aged 18–44 years had the highest rate. More.
