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NIH study reveals a great need for heroin treatment to fight the opioid epidemic. The study also shows growing racial disparities when analyzing death records from the opioid epidemic. Funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the study shows that over 100,000 people in the United States die from drug overdoses every year. Although half of them die from synthetic opioids and fentanyl, many users do not know they are using synthetic opioids or fentanyl.

Instead, synthetic opioids and fentanyl are sold as heroin on the street. Thus, heroin treatment is needed more than ever before in the United States. Moreover, people are mixing heroin use with the abuse of stimulants like crack cocaine and crystal methamphetamines. Given a long history of providing SUD treatment services, Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC) is not surprised by the latest statistics. Indeed, many communities need help.

Racial Disparities in Heroin Abuse and Heroin Treatment

Indeed, heroin abuse is more common today than at any other point in American history. As reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in a previous study, “Among people aged 12 or older in 2020, 0.3% (or about 902,000 people) reported using heroin in the past 12 months.” Although it might seem like a small percentage, imagine almost a million Americans using heroin. When put in those terms, the statistics are staggering. Indeed, the average football stadium holds 60,000 people. Hence, imagine fifteen football stadiums filled with people using heroin.

In the current study, the evolution of the opioid epidemic reveals racial disparities and the mixing of drugs. The need for heroin treatment turns out to be side-by-side with the need for stimulant treatment as well. People are dying from overdoses of a mix of opioids with either crack cocaine or crystal methamphetamines. Moreover, SUD abuse in ethnic minorities is leading to an increase in overdose deaths.

As described by the researchers, “The data also reveal extremely troubling racial disparities. Opioid/stimulant deaths among Black Americans have risen at more than three times the rate seen among non-Hispanic white people, especially in Eastern states. In other parts of the country, there’s also been a disproportionate increase in these combination overdose deaths among Hispanic and Asian Americans. The findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggest that efforts to prevent opioid overdoses, including wide distribution of naloxone, should target not only people who primarily use opioids but those who primarily use crack cocaine or other street drugs.”

Heroin Treatment and Stimulant Treatment at TTC

At TTC, we use Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT) services to help people overcome such addictions and substance use disorders. The rise of abuse in minority communities goes side-by-side with the desperation and frustration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wanting to escape fear and medicate anxiety, people reach out to whatever drugs are available to them. Indeed, self-medication is at the heart of the opioid epidemic.

In the conclusion of the NIH report, given the latest findings, “As researchers work to get these answers, this study comes as a reminder that successfully tackling the opioid epidemic through NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative and other efforts will require a multi-pronged approach, including concerted efforts to improve prevention and treatment for opioid misuse and addiction. It also will be essential to ensure that such advances will reach those who are being hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, including minority and marginalized communities.”

Access Heroin Treatment Help Today

Moreover, heroin treatment needs to be accessible to minority and marginalized communities. From the beginning, the mission of TTC has been to offer access to heroin treatment and integrated healthcare services. If you want to know how Tarzana Treatment Centers can help you and your family, please contact us today.