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Opioid Crisis: Only 1 in 3 Teens Get Help

9/26/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Health Affairs finds fewer than one in three teens with opioid use disorder receive treatment.
In 2023, 557 teens died from opioid overdoses, up from 2018.
Counterfeit fentanyl pills are increasingly available to teens, complicating treatment access.
Less than 10% of treated teens receive effective MAT like naltrexone or methadone. Experts urge early intervention and family involvement to improve adherence.

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Story summary

Health Affairs finds fewer than one in three teens with opioid use disorder receive treatment.
In 2023, 557 teens died from opioid overdoses, up from 2018.
Counterfeit fentanyl pills are increasingly available to teens, complicating treatment access.
Less than 10% of treated teens receive effective MAT like naltrexone or methadone. Experts urge early intervention and family involvement to improve adherence.