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The Heroin Epidemic

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Made from morphine, heroin is an opioid drug derived from the opium poppy plant. Users either smoke, snort, or inject heroin into their bodies, where it binds to receptors in the brain. The drug stimulates the release of dopamine, resulting in a surge of euphoria. Depressing the user's central nervous system, the drug causes crucial bodily functions such as respiration to cease. The use of heroin has also resulted in the proliferation of deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis. As a community, it is crucial that citizens are made aware of the dangers of heroin as the lethal drug shrouds Dutchess County and other corners of the United States.

Heroin has claimed its spot as a deadly drug over the decades. Today, heroin targets teens and young adults from a variety of backgrounds. Heroin has jeopardized members of the middle class, including educated students and prestigious professionals. In high schools, the sum of students using heroin increased by four percent from 2005 to 2011. This increase parallels the amount of overdoses: between 2010 and 2014, opioid-related deaths rose 47 percent in New York. Dutchess County in particular was crowned with the largest rate of overdoses from 2009 to 2013 compared to other areas of New York State.

The primary question is why the growth in consumption of heroin? One reason is that heroin is extremely cheap. A small amount of it can cost as little as five dollars. Such a low cost compared to the price of prescription painkillers is motivation for pill users to transition to heroin. This lethal drug is also dangerously pure. Dealers will often mix heroin with sedatives and other drugs, increasing the damaging effects on the user's body. There occurs an increase in the user’s tolerance towards the drug, intensifying their want for a more fulfilling high. This yearning results in serious overdoses.

Luckily, treatment options have become more available and comprehensive. In 2013, approximately 89,300 users were admitted into treatment facilities -- a 40 percent increase from the original amount in 2004. How long will it be until these facilities are not needed? How long will it be until we see the eradication of heroin? With no conceivable usage decrease in sight, as a community, we must consider necessary tactics in order to combat the spread of heroin in Dutchess County. Early education on the dangers of heroin in schools, as well as intensified investigations into the proliferation of heroin are some necessary strategies.

By Anthony D.
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