Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week (Sept. 18th - 24th)

In a National deadly heroin and opioid addiction epidemic, it has been announced that September 18th- September 24th will be Heroin and Opioids Epidemic Awareness Week. The number of deaths related to overdoses is truly devastating. Too many lives are lost due to heroin addiction, and we need to put a stop to it. 

In just 6 years, heroin and opioid related deaths have increased by 244%. The abuse and addiction of this horrible drug addiction has taken lives at an all-time high speed. According to the national statistics, every day heroin and pharmaceutical opioids take lives of about 78 people nationwide.

Opioids are often prescribed to act as a pain reliever by blocking the receptors of the nerves of the brain and spinal cord. When taken longer than prescribed, the person becomes addicted to the pills and sometimes moves onto heroin.

Many of these opioids don’t only come from pharmacies but are often sold on the streets, “In 2012, over five percent of the U.S. population aged 12 years or older used opioid pain relievers non-medically.”

A family of most common opioids used are Oxycodone – a semi synthetic drug which includes Tylox®, Percodan®, and OxyContin®. It is derived from a poppy plant and is highly addicting.

Fentanyl – which has taken lives of many famous people, is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 80-100 times more potent. Fentanyl comes in a prescription form also known as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze®. Street names for fentanyl or for fentanyl-laced heroin include Apache, China Girl, China White, Dance Fever, Friend, GoodFella, Jackpot, Murder 8, TNT, and Tango and Cash. “Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths.” Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico.

Heroin – an opiate drug processed from morphine and extracted from certain poppy plants. It comes in a white or brown powder, or black sticky form knows as “black tar heroin”.

Heroin is laced with other substances and an unaware user isn’t quite sure how much heroin is actually being injected, smoked or even snorted, and often ends in an overdose. Known names for heroin - Big H, Black Tar, Chiva, Hell Dust, Horse, Negra, Smack, Thunder.

“According to data compiled by NHTSA, 63 percent of the 21,798 drivers who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 were tested for drugs. Of these, 3,952 tested positive for drug involvement, representing 18 percent of the total for that year. The report also showed drug use reported by the states among fatally injured drivers increasing from 13 percent in 2005, to 15 percent in 2006, 16 percent in 2007, and 18 percent in 2008.”