The role of mountaintop removal mining in the opioid crisis

ABSTRACT

This study examines the relationship between mining practices in Central Appalachia and opioid use. Central Appalachia, known for coal mining, has one of the highest rates of opioid use in the U.S. Of particular interest is Mountaintop Removal Mining (MTR). MTR is a form of surface mining that requires clearcutting the mountain’s forest before detonating explosives to reveal a coal vein. The vein reveals coal that would not have been accessible using traditional underground mining methods.MTR has been shown to be connected to many adverse health effects, including increased rates of cancer, serious illness, and substance-abuse-related hospitalizations. The researchers of this study hypothesize that the adverse health effects of MTR may influence opioid abuse. The results of this study revealed a relationship between mining practices in Central Appalachian counties and opioid-related hospital discharge rates and prescription rates.

KEYWORDS:

• Central Appalachia
• mining practices
• mountain top removal (MTR)
• opioid use

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Matt Hepler, environmental scientist with Appalachian Voices, for his assistance in retrieving data related to mining.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.