Opiate Addiction

This video and article was related to the epidemic of heroin among women and the middle class in the United States. This was a very powerful article and video it opened my eyes to the growing problem of opiate use as a gateway drug. It explained how many people are getting addicted to prescription painkillers and moving on to heroin as a replacement drug. In addition, it explained that this addiction does not discriminate it affects people of all walks of life from all cultures, genders, and ages. According to the article, “We see addiction in all walks of life, from 60-year-olds to teenagers, in people of all races, in men and women" (Szabo, 2015).

Near the end of this article it talked about the use of drug therapy for those who want/need to get off the drug. Wen said she'd like to see more communities train people to use naloxone, a drug that can reverse opiate overdoses (Szabo, 2015). The article explained that this drug is now available in a nasal spray, which I found to be very interesting and a great help depending on the cost. Our textbook also mentioned, that the FDA approved another new drug, a mixture of

Buprenorphine sold under the name Suboxone). I also found it interesting when kicking the heroin habit without a replacement drug (Methadone or Suboxone) it is virtually impossible as this film explained. In another textbook for addictions I read, that many people who cannot afford the drug end up participating in criminal activities in order to purchase it, which is a shame that these individuals cannot receive further help in getting the medications that they need for their substance abuse (Fisher & Harrison, 2013). This is why it is important for us to work harder to advocate for harm reduction and government assistance as a society for problems, such as this