Before we talk about the status of opioid and heroin addiction in California and the U.S., let’s first recall the essence of an opioid and how it becomes an addictive substance among teens and adults.
Nevertheless, if you are suffering from heroin addiction, then you need to seek medical assistance as early as today. Why? Because dependence on this illicit drug can lead to irreparable diseases, which can lead to death.
Recall – What Is Heroin?
Heroin is an illicit drug derived from morphine which is an opioid substance. It means opioids are derived from the seed pods of any kind of opium poppy plant. Alongside this, opioids are known for their pain-relieving benefits.
If you take any opioid substance, any pain you are feeling will be eased out and your breathing patterns are depressed.
Why is it addictive? It’s addictive because heroin and other opioids don’t only relieve pain but also induces a euphoric sensation. Also, when you take this drug without a prescription, then you’ll surely develop tolerance and later addiction to it.
How Bad Is Drug Addiction in California
In 2019, California’s population is at 39.51 million, and 8.5% of them are suffering from drug addiction. Among the 3.35 million addicts, around 10% to 15% of them are enrolling in rehab recovery centers.
Despite the lower incidence of heroin addiction in California, still, there’s a growing number because most of these illicit drugs are shipped to the southern borders of this state. Most of the production of this illegal opioid is done in the central and south portions of the U.S.
With that, substance use disorder and heroin addiction is a pressing concern in this progressive state, and the various sectors are working together to bring these figures down.
Around 95% of the leaders in big states have worked together in mitigating drug addiction among Americans. If you think you are having symptoms of a heroin overdose, then seek professional help from an addiction specialist.
How Serious Is Drug Overdose and Heroin Addiction in the U.S. and California?
Here are some important statistical data describing the scenario of drug abuse and heroin addiction in the United States and in California in particular.
- In 2018, there are about 67,367 deaths due to drug overdose in the U.S., which is equivalent to 20.7 for every 100,000 deaths.
- In 2018, 70% of drug overdose deaths among Americans is caused by opioid addiction, which is around 14.6 for every 100,000 death counts.
- In California, abusing opioids constitutes 45% of the overall drug overdose death count. From this count, death related to heroin addiction is around 778 in 2018.
- In 2019, there are around 3,244 deaths due to opioid addiction in California.
- Death related to a heroin overdose in California is around 35.9% in 2018.
- The mortality rate of a heroin overdose in California is 8 per 100,000 Americans.
Overall, these reports tell us that we need to be cautious and enhance the awareness of the severe consequences when you abuse heroin and other opioid substances.
If you need further advice, you can talk to your nearby heroin addiction specialist today.
Heroin Addiction and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in California
When a pregnant woman abuses heroin or any opioid substance, then her baby is at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) before giving birth. When the baby comes out, it’s when the withdrawal symptoms will be 100% evident.
You can see these withdrawal effects 24 to 48 hours after the child has come out. However, these effects may be on a delay as well, so you can observe it 5 to 10 days after giving birth.
Furthermore, here are the common symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome on the baby.
- Baby cries a lot in a high-pitch voice
- Seizure
- Uncontrolled sweating
- Feverish feeling
- Stiff muscles
- Frequent yawning
- Clogged up nose
- The baby exhibits poor breastfeeding action
In 2016, the incidence of NAS among Americans is 7 to 15.9 cases per 100,000 people. In California, the NAS rate is at 2.5 per 100,000 individuals.
If you want to keep your babies healthy before and after giving birth, then you must abstain from taking opioids unless prescribed by your doctor.
Spread of HIV and Heroin Addiction in California
Abusing heroin can be done in multiple ways such as ingesting, smoking, or injecting through your veins or under your skin. Alongside this, the injectable is one of the main culprits why there’s a rampant spread of HIV among the people in the U.S. and California.
Among males who are injecting heroin, the spread of HIV is around 4% of the total infection rate in California. For women, there is a 21.6% HIV transmission via heroin injection.
This scenario alarmed the government and other health organizations in California. They are planning ways on mitigating opioid and heroin abuse among teens and adults through constant education and controlling the prescription of opioid-derived medicines.
Heroin Addiction and the Spread of Hepatitis C (HCV) in the U.S. and California
Besides HIV, hepatitis C and B are the other diseases spread through injectable opioids in society. Below are some statistical reports on how serious this scenario is in California and the entire U.S.
- In 2017, 6% of the new HCV reported cases were caused by injection drug use (IDU).
- From 2013-2016, around 2.4 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with HCV.
- In California, around 103 new cases of HCV were found to use injectable drugs before getting the disease.
- Currently, there are around 318,900 people in California with HCV.
Get Medical Help in Overcoming Your Heroin Addiction
Being under the influence of drugs is never easy since it negatively changes your lifestyle and behavior. If you want to achieve long-term sobriety from heroin addiction, then you need to seek medical treatment from a reliable rehab center in California.
Otherwise, you can talk to your nearby licensed and insured heroin addiction specialist today. They will give you customized treatment programs to address your substance use disorder.
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