United States reaches epidemic number of heroin abusers

The number of overdose-related deaths in the U.S. has dramatically increased.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains the United States has already reached an epidemic number of people abusing heroin use. Health officials state that the rise in the number of deaths from heroin overdose is fueled by the lower cost and easy access of the drug among Americans. They also found that increase in prescription opiate abuse is related to the increase in heroin abuse.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The report is a joint study of the CDC and the FDA, analyzing the national survey data on drug use from 2002 to 2013. According to the report, there is a 63 percent increase of heroin use from 2002 to 2013.

About 517,000 people reported they used the drug over the last year in 2013, which is a 150 percent increase from 2007, as cited from Yahoo! News.

In 2013, there were at least 8,200 people who died from heroin overdose. Almost all, at 96 percent, of those who use heroin were also using other substances, including prescription opiate.

"Everything we see points to more accessible, less-expensive heroin all over the country," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. CDC, in a statement with Reuters.

People in almost all demographic areas are using heroin more than in past recent years; the number among women users has doubled over time. Reports also state that those who abuse prescription opiates are 40 percent more likely to abuse heroin, which has been increasing, leading to more deaths from drug overdose.

Dr. Frieden explained that an "all-society" response is needed to reverse the trend, with the improvement of the practice of opiate prescription and a more accessible effective treatment available to the public.

"There are lots of people who have not yet gotten an opiate and we need to protect them from the risk of getting addicted," he said, noting that some doctors are prescribing too much of the drugs.

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