Addiction is one of the most powerful feelings in the world for many people. To some, this can be a positive concept; many people are “addicted” to running, going to the gym, completing their schoolwork, and even cleaning their rooms until they’re spotless. Yet, for every pro, there tends to be a con. Drug abuse in particular has existed since the beginning of prehistoric civilizations, and has shaped many societies across the world, assisting the goal of major drug traffickers earning a profit. Heroin is an infamous opiate that has startling drug usage numbers across the entire world, especially in the United States. According to a 2012 report issued by the National Institute for Drug Abuse, almost 670,000 Americans reported using heroin within the year, and the numbers continue to increase as we approach 2017. Jacob Kayser (‘17) says “Heroin is a powerful drug that unfortunately finds its way into many schools and local communities. Hopefully we can find a solution to combat its distribution and usage”. Overdosing has also been on the rise since the turn of the decade. The New York Times reported that there had been a 39% increase in heroin related deaths from 2012 to 2013, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The same Times report mentions that the spread of HIV has increased in Indiana because of needle sharing and that opioid deaths in New Hampshire increased nearly 75% from 2013 to 2014. The worst part of all is that there is a likely chance that most of these deaths of heroin users are within the age range of 18 to 25. Ivan Cambier-Unruh, (‘18), says “it’s an issue that is affecting kids our age, and it’s terrifying”.

The heroin epidemic doesn’t just end at the national and state levels. Recently, in Illinois’s DuPage County, the Chicago Tribune reported that 43 people died from opioid and heroin usage in 2015, which is up from 23 deaths in 2011. Luckily, members of the DuPage County Health Department have started to fight back against addiction. One action they are taking is the release of Narcan, a nasal spray designed to counter the effects of an overdose as it is happening. Over 150 people have been saved by Narcan since 2014, and three of those users have been sent through a rehabilitation program and succeeded. “Those are three lives we feel very happy about being turned around,” said Karen Ayala, executive director of the DuPage County Health Department. And although these many medical services have been at work saving people from crippling addiction (64 lives reported being saved by the summer of 2015 in DuPage alone), the concern comes from the question of how people are getting their hands on these opioids and why they refuse to find help. The source of almost all addiction to hard drugs is a “gateway” drug. And while most adults would point their finger at alcohol or marijuana, almost all users of opioids and heroin find the source of their addiction from painkillers and other prescription drugs that have similar effects to those of opioids and heroin. Street dealers are primarily responsible for its distribution and DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin says “The law enforcement side is going after the dealers, but when we talk about the users it’s more of a public health crisis that needs to be the emphasis.” Along with an increase in prosecution of dealers, the DuPage County has worked to reacquire any pain medications that are unused, with over 35 tons being seized since 2009. “Never before has heroin prevention been more important than it is today,” says DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin.

At Whitney Young, many students are aware of the rise in drug usage and have spoken out to address the issue, including Senior Class President, Quincy Hirt (‘17), who says “This is clearly an epidemic and an issue that needs to be addressed. According to the CDC, 78 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, and that number needs to go down”. The last thing any person wants to hear is a rise in overdose numbers in their community. Whatever policy the government chooses to solve this issue, it needs to be thorough and effective both short-term and long-term to address this dangerous epidemic.