In a new paper lead by Ben Schlüter, we estimated about *1.2 million* youth (<18y) in the US have lost a parent due to drugs or guns since 1999. In 2020, drugs and guns accounted for about one in four parental deaths — about double the proportion in 1999. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Parental deaths due to drugs have been increasing steadily over the whole time period — reflecting the larger overdose crisis in the US. In contrast, parental deaths due to firearms have been fairly stable with a sustained increased risk among Black youth that accelerated in ~2015.