Heroin use is on the rise in the US at an alarming rate. According to a global report done by the UN office on Drugs and Crime, Heroin is the deadliest drug and its increasing use in the United States is cause for concern. According to this report, there are about one million heroin users in the United States, which is three times the amount in 2003. Deaths related to heroin use have increased by five times the amount in 2000! The question is, why is heroin use on the rise, and what can we do to stop it?
There are many theories as to why heroin use is so popular in the United States. One theory is that the United States has lead a crusade against prescription drug abuse. Laws are stricter about prescriptions for painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin. Doctors are prescribing these drugs less, they are harder to get. This has led some users to turn to heroin, which is a quick and easy high. Another reason may be that heroin is becoming easier to get. There are anonymous online marketplaces which make drugs easier to get. The Darknet, which is an overlay network of the internet is a way users are secretly and anonymously obtaining heroin and other drugs.
Heroin is a dangerous drug, the high is quick and intense and it is extremely addictive. The risk of death is high. What can we do to stop this rise in heroin use? As with any drug abuse, getting the addicted person help is the key. Experts say that in addition to addiction treatment, addiction centers need to also treat mental health conditions as well as addiction. There is a biological predisposition to addiction and depression, so perhaps if substance abuse and mental health were treated hand in hand, the long term problems would decline.