Heroin addiction has become a growing problem across the United States in recent years. In many cities, the rate of death from a heroin overdose has exceeded the number of deaths from automobile crashes and violent crime. The cost of heroin has been dropping significantly in recent years, and it has now overtaken addiction to prescription drugs. The growing availability of heroin, and its attendant risk of overdose, has made it the focus of many communities around the country.
Heroin Deaths Rising
Across the United States, the numbers of heroin overdose deaths are increasing at an alarming manner. In many cases, the deaths are attributed to reduced tolerance in addicts who have been to a heroin rehab center who relapse after treatment. Their reduced tolerance for the drug puts them at special risk for overdose. In Maryland alone deaths from overdose rose 25% in 2014 over the previous year, and this rate was double the number seen in 2010. These figures are similarly reflected in other states around the country, and a concerted effort to find solutions is being considered in many communities.
Naloxone Saves Lives
A new tool in the fight to save the lives of heroin addicts who overdose is the drug naloxone. This medication is an opioid that can be used to immediately reverse the effects of heroin overdose and can save lives. It can be injected into a muscle or under the skin, or even sprayed into the nose of an unconscious addict. The ease of use makes it an important aid in saving individuals locked in the throes of addiction. Across the country, first responders are being trained to administer the drug in cases of suspected overdose to save lives that would otherwise be lost.
Getting Addicts to a Heroin Rehab Center
The widespread use of naloxone allows emergency personnel to take action on the spot to save lives, so that these addicts can then be referred to heroin rehab centers for further treatment of their addiction. As the general population becomes more educated about the problems of addiction as an illness, and the need for effective treatment to help these individuals, the use of naloxone is expected to expand to more community organizations to help give these addicts a second chance to beat their addiction.
