In the Grips of a Full-Blown Heroin Crisis

By Robert J. Budsock, President and CEO of Integrity House

Heroin continues to kill—at alarming rates.

The numbers are troubling and more horrific than most people think. Heroin overdose death rates nearly tripled in the United States between 2010 and 2013, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2010, the death rate was one for every 100,000 people but by 2013 the number jumped to 2.7 for every 100,000 people. And it continues to rise.

Why is this happening? The answer is simple—demand. As authorities successfully moved against “pill mills” which dispense massive amounts of pharmaceuticals, and enforced new prescription monitoring regulations, opioid-based prescription pills become harder to obtain. The prices for black market prescription pills continue to rise and this has resulted in desperation for those who cannot afford them anymore. Desperate times called for desperate measures and heroin answered their call. At an average cost of $7 a bag in New Jersey, the switch to heroin becomes a simple economic decision that increases the risk of accidental death by overdose.

And this cycle will continue. Once authorities crack down on one drug, people suffering from addiction will find a replacement. We simply can’t arrest our way out of this crisis. Research shows over and over again that the only way to have safer communities and to effectively curb drug crime is to provide addicts with the treatment and support they need to quit and to stay clean long-term.

People underestimate how dangerous painkillers are in the downward spiral of addiction. Many heroin abusers who check in to treatment facilities began their addiction with a pain pill. That’s because people usually don’t think twice about taking pain medication. They may have a legitimate injury, and the pills are being prescribed by a doctor. However, with any opiate, a physical and psychological dependence quickly develops, and when the prescription is eventually cut off, many people are left with a powerful addiction where brain chemistry changes as a result of continued use of opiates. When the pills run out, many cross the line and walk down the frightening road of opting for the much cheaper and easier-to-get heroin.

Substance abuse treatment facilities understand that addiction is a medical disease, with social and psychological complications. A person suffering from addiction needs to know that there are qualified counselors who want to help and will not pass judgment no matter what the drug addiction. Keeping it hidden only drives addicts to darker places within their addiction, such as lying, stealing and hurting the ones they love. They need the appropriate treatment from facilities, which help individuals and their families through tough times with treatment and recovery support that brings about long-term lifestyle changes.

New Jersey has a small but hugely successful network of treatment providers that are saving lives every day. Integrity House recently concluded a study in cooperation with Montclair State University that evaluated the effects of long-term treatment of its own clients. The results showed that 96 percent of graduates from the program reported a 30-day abstinence rate for drugs and alcohol. And we are working to gain funding that will allow us to follow graduates’ progress and abstinence well into the future.

Millions of American citizens who are living productive lives in recovery are living proof of the effectiveness of treatment. Effective treatment saves lives. It ultimately saves taxpayer money and it helps us create safer communities.

Robert J. Budsock serves as the President and CEO of Integrity House, a nationally-recognized non-profit substance abuse rehabilitation center with locations in Newark and Secaucus. For more information, visit www.IntegrityHouse.org or call (973) 623-0600.