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Essay On Heroin Epidemic

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Gaining Insight Into The Northeastern United States Heroin Epidemic

In 2014, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found around 10,574 Americans died due to heroin-related overdoses. This number is a triple of the number of deaths related to the drug during 2010. The increase comes because of higher demand for heroin and the drug becoming increasingly available throughout the United States. Yet, a certain segment of the United States has become victim to the drug itself: the northeastern United States. The need for heroin rehab in Massachusetts has increased quite a deal as a result.
“The pills dried up, and people are addicted, and what do they turn to? Heroin. It’s available and it’s cheap,” AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod Director of Prevention and Screening Max Sandusky told Al Jazeera America. In a city such as Lawrence, Massachusetts, heroin has been available at around $10-$15 a bag. The Boston Globe has put the facts of the heroin epidemic on display for all to see. As of 2014, one-half of all deaths related to opioids were because of heroin. In 2010, however, the drug was only responsible for twenty percent of opioid deaths. This shows a great need for …show more content…

While heroin can kill people of various ages, things are different in Massachusetts. The majority of deaths related to heroin come those that are among twenty-five to thirty-four years of age. Counties differ among where heroin is greatly present. Outside the big cities in Massachusetts, heroin continues to be known as the most deadly drug. Particularly in Berkshire County, heroin is responsible for more than fifty percent of opioid deaths. With over 2,000 people dying from opioid overdoses during the year of 2016, it seems apparent Massachusetts has a big problem it needs to deal with. Yet, other parts of New England see the same struggles with heroin and needs for a heroin rehab in

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