Buckfast 1
Footballguy
Over the past three years, the number of fatal heroin overdoses in America has tripled to more than 8,250 deaths per year. Approximately twice as many people die each year from overdoses on prescription opiate painkillers. Drug overdoses, mostly from opiates and heroin, are responsible for more deaths each year in America than traffic fatalities. I think it is clear that the increased use of heroin in America is directly linked to the increased use of prescription opiates over the past decade, as many prescription opiate users eventually turn to heroin for a cheaper, stronger, and more accessible high on a molecularly similar compound.
This issue is really close to me on a personal level. My brother struggled with opiate addiction for years after being placed on opiate painkillers following a reconstructive knee surgery. Thankfully, he has been clean for over two years now, and he got out before moving on to heroin. However, the losses that he has suffered from opiate and heroin addiction over the past few years are absolutely devastating. About five years ago, his best friend died from an overdose of opiate prescription painkillers. A few months ago, another one of his good friends died from a heroin overdose. And two weeks ago, his current best friend died from a heroin overdose during a relapse after months of being clean. My brother had been talking to him everyday and trying to help and encourage him to embrace a better life without opiates and heroin. It was tragic to see how far he had come in his recovery, only to die from a momentary relapse.
Is there an answer to help alleviate the opiate and heroin epidemic in America today? Better access to drug treatment facilities? Increased regulation of the pharmaceutical opiate industry? Increased distribution and use of naloxone, a drug that can immediately revive someone from a heroin overdose? Perhaps the legalization of marijuana, as states with legalized marijuana have reported a significant decease in opiate deaths as people choose marijuana over opiate painkillers to treat pain? Is there anything that we can do to prevent more deaths from opiate and heroin addiction?
This issue is really close to me on a personal level. My brother struggled with opiate addiction for years after being placed on opiate painkillers following a reconstructive knee surgery. Thankfully, he has been clean for over two years now, and he got out before moving on to heroin. However, the losses that he has suffered from opiate and heroin addiction over the past few years are absolutely devastating. About five years ago, his best friend died from an overdose of opiate prescription painkillers. A few months ago, another one of his good friends died from a heroin overdose. And two weeks ago, his current best friend died from a heroin overdose during a relapse after months of being clean. My brother had been talking to him everyday and trying to help and encourage him to embrace a better life without opiates and heroin. It was tragic to see how far he had come in his recovery, only to die from a momentary relapse.
Is there an answer to help alleviate the opiate and heroin epidemic in America today? Better access to drug treatment facilities? Increased regulation of the pharmaceutical opiate industry? Increased distribution and use of naloxone, a drug that can immediately revive someone from a heroin overdose? Perhaps the legalization of marijuana, as states with legalized marijuana have reported a significant decease in opiate deaths as people choose marijuana over opiate painkillers to treat pain? Is there anything that we can do to prevent more deaths from opiate and heroin addiction?