Presidential Candidates Shed Light on the United States Heroin Epidemic

Spotlight on Heroin

The latest statistics on heroin from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that heroin related deaths have increased from 3,041 deaths in the year 2008 to 8,260 deaths in the year 2013. The CDC also reported this week that between 2002 and 2013, the rate of heroin related overdose deaths has almost quadrupled.

Based on the above statistics, drug addiction and heroin, specifically, have become a hot topic among the upcoming presidential hopefuls. While speaking at a house gathering in Iowa, Hillary Clinton spoke about how the heroin epidemic in the United States, saying that, “The drug epidemic, meth, pills in Iowa, and then I got to New Hampshire and at my very first coffee shop meeting I heard about the heroin epidemic in New Hampshire,” Clinton said. “This is tearing families apart, but it is below the surface. People aren’t talking about it, because it’s something that is hard to deal with,” she said.

As mentioned on the Washington Post, Governor Chris Christie joined a roundtable discussion at a drug treatment facility, Carly Fiorina has often discussed the loss of her stepdaughter to addiction, and Senator Rand Paul has created a focus on drug law reform and the criminal justice system as the centerpiece to his campaign for the presidency. The good news about all of this is that the heroin epidemic is actually being discussed and brought into the spotlight. As our current and future country leaders finally begin to address the problem, it is important that individuals become aware of how to spot signs of the addiction.

Signs of Heroin Addiction

Drug Paraphernalia: syringes, aluminum foil (used for cooking the drug), glass or metal pipes, baggies or balloons (often where the drug is stored)
Physical Indicators: constriction of the pupils (four to five hours after use), shallow breathing, unkempt appearance, weight loss or gain, diarrhea, tremors, muscle cramps, drowsiness, slurred speech, change in behavior, track marks (bruises, scabs, needle marks, and scars from needle insertion)
Legal, Financial, or Personal Issues: missing valuables and cash, perpetual secrecy and lying, trouble with the law

Heroin Recovery at Right Path Drug Rehab

Right Path Drug Rehab knows that it can be scary and overwhelming to try and figure out how to get treatment on one’s own. Let our network of providers facilitate complete and total recovery for you or a loved one. Our network of providers is dedicated to placing each of our clients into luxurious drug rehab centers that operate from a dual diagnosis approach, treating both the mind and the body.

The first part of treatment at Right Path Drug Rehab involves undergoing a medically assisted detox with regulated and non-addictive medication that will prevent any symptoms of withdrawal. Next, patients are placed in one of our luxury housing facilities where they recover in a home environment with their peers. Right Path Drug Rehab is the best choice when it comes to addiction treatment programs for heroin recovery.