> opiate-related deaths account for .02% of the population. This statement is potentially misleading, since it leaves out the "per year" part. To compare it to

> opiate-related deaths account for .02% of the population. This statement is potentially misleading, since it leaves out the "per year" part. To compare it to the number of chronic pain sufferers, as you've done, you'd need to add up all the deaths of people who would otherwise still be alive. Even just using the wild approximation of adding up the deaths in Table 27 of what you've linked (interpolating the missing 8 years with the lowest number), brings the percentage above 0.17% or almost 1 in 500. One of the reasons for alarm is that the fatality rate has been increasing (and may even be accelerating), having more than tripled since 1999. Compare that to vehicle deaths, which have been on a downard trend, even per population.