By most metrics, Utah is a very healthy place. Among the 50 states, it is in the top 10 for life expectancy, has the 4th lowest rate of overall cancer incidence and the single lowest rate of cancer mortality. Utah also boasts the lowest smoking rate and the lowest rate of lung cancer in the country, both by a wide margin. Many attribute facts like these to the state’s large population of Mormons, who are instructed not to drink alcohol, smoke or drink tea or coffee.
More recently, however, Utah has been spotlighted for a much darker trend — the increasing rates of opioid addiction and overdose.