Heroin has seen an increase in use in the United States since the early 2000s. In fact, there are three times as many people using today as there were in 2003 with deaths increasing by five times. This information is according to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, which was completed in 2016. In fact, the report has named heroin as the deadliest drug anywhere in the world.
Who is Using Heroin?
Heroin was once the drug of choice for the average poor male. He might be homeless, living out on the street, but he made very little money. Heroin could be purchased cheaply, which is why it was popular with this crowd.
Today, the typical heroin user is almost as likely to be a white collar professional or a woman from the middle class. Heroin has broken the barrier across gender, class and other categories to refute the stereotype of the average addict. You will find people all across America, in high schools, boardrooms and in high-end homes falling victim to this deadly drug.
Why More People are Using
Experts attribute the increase in heroin use to the abuse of prescription medications. Many of them are opioids prescribed for pain relief. While statistics show that medical providers are giving out fewer of these prescriptions, it also shows that prescription medication abuse has gone up.
When people cannot access the prescription medications, they turn to heroin which is easier to get and cheaper to buy. In fact, prescription use for nonmedical reasons has increased from 1.8 percent to 4.1 percent in ten years. Regulation of prescription medications aren’t solving the problem of addiction; it just allows people to turn to an even more dangerous drug. Only rehab can help addicts stop the ugly cycle.