An estimated 14,000 children in New Hampshire were affected by opioid abuse in 2017. That's the finding of a new study that tries to quantify the impact of the opioid crisis on children in America.
The study from the United Hospital Fund shows 51 out of every 1,000 kids in New Hampshire were impacted by the opioid crisis in 2017, either from their parent's opioid use or their own.
Only West Virginia had a higher rate. The national rate was 28 children out of every 5,000.
According to the study, children affected by opioid use are 30% more likely to be arrested later in life, 60% more likely to be a smoker, and twice as likely to be depressed. The study says these lingering health impacts could cost New Hampshire as much as $2.5 billion by 2030.
Nationwide more than 2.2 million children were affected in 2017, according to the study. That's more than the number of children who were diagnosed with autism.
