Heroin and Painkillers Reported Leading Causes of Death

(Washington. D.C.)

Overdoses stemming from heroin and painkiller abuse are now the leading cause of fatal injuries in the United States, surpassing even firearms and motor vehicle accidents, a Drug Enforcement Administration assessment reveals.

The DEA's 2015 National Drug Threat Assessment, released Thursday, also found that Mexican drug cartels are "the biggest criminal threat in the United States" and the nation's primary suppliers of marijuana, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

The threat assessment revealed that more than 46,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2013.

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