
Confronting the Increasing Heroin Problem in the United States
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin use has increased in the United States at a phenomenal rate. What is interesting is that its use is increasing among individuals who historically had relatively low rates of drug use. These include women, individuals with higher income, and people who have private insurance. What makes this concern is not just the heroin use, but the fact that these individuals are using heroin along with other illicit substances. They are using heroin in addiction to prescription drugs and cocaine. Between 2002 and 2013, overdose deaths quadrupled in the United States. In just one year, more than 8,200 people died from a heroin-related overdose. A lot of discussions have taken place as to why it is becoming common to see more…