By Peter MantiusNorthern Bureau ChiefPrescription rates for opioid pain relievers and benzodiazepines are far higher in states in the South and the Rust Belt than in other regions, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Alabama, Tennessee and West Virginia were the three highest-prescribing states for both classes of drugs, while California, New York and most upper Midwest states were among the lowest. The strong link between overprescribing and fatal overdoses raises the urgency of getting a better grip on the causes for the state-to-state variation, t...
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