Opioid Epidemic in The United States

The Rising Concern in Drug Addiction

The rising concern in the use of addictive drugs has been a major concern in the United States. For instance, heroin use has caused a number of deaths that prompts research articles to be focused on addressing the latter. Sam Quinones’ Dreamland is one of the literary works that describes the unsettling story that involves smuggling of “black tar heroin.” Moreover, the marketing and distribution of pain pills in the United States that result in addiction and death is described (Quinones, 2015). Notably, the use of heroine has spread from the major cities and has moved to the rural hinterlands and interior cities. Therefore, the book demonstrates that the existence of the drugs in the small towns and rural settings did not happen overnight and series of activities led to the problem faced by the societies.

The Causes of the Opiate Problem

The opiate problem in the United States has been caused by industrial structuring, globalization, poverty and affluence, industrial revolutions and the shifts in the medical institutions. Accordingly, the changes have led to the distribution of drugs in various places, leading to increased addiction problems. Through interviews with various parties, such as doctors, heroin traffickers, pharmaceutical companies, and prosecutors, Quinones (2015) drives information regarding the challenge. Dreamland

The Global Macroeconomics of America’s Opiate Epidemic

puts emphasis on the global macroeconomics that drives America’s opiate epidemic. Therefore, it unearths the connections between the people involved in the business and the challenges they cause to the society.

The Role of Legal Drug Prescriptions

Moreover, the book describes the opiate epidemic issue and how the latter was started by legal drug prescriptions. The drugs, such as hydrocodone and oxycodone are seen as derivatives of opium and have contents similar to heroin (Quinones, 2015). OxyContin was also made available in the market and it was proved that it was less addictive. As such, clinicians applied the latter in relieving acute pains of the patients. However, addicts learned that they could get access of the drugs from the health centers and use them. The individuals did not take caution of taking overdose and injected themselves with the full dose prescribed. As a result, several deaths were registered though its sales increased significantly.

The Impact of Economic Restructuring on Drug Addiction

The literary work connects the audience to Portsmouth, Ohio where the place, Dreamland exists. It shows the swimming pool that the community used in the 1970s and how it helped the people. Moreover, the author applies the latter to demonstrate the effects of economic restructuring in the region. For instance, the changes in the production industries from shoes, steel, energy, to the swimming pool are given. Moreover, clinics also emerged and doctors gave out prescribed doses of OxyContin. The latter was done to several people as there was no follow-up or diagnosis on the uses of the drugs. The owners only aimed at making profits but did not consider the outcomes of the use of the medicines. As a result, the pain pills led to high rate of deaths resulting from addiction and the challenge exceeded the problems caused by car accidents (Quinones, 2015). Notably, the economic catastrophe in the region prompted the dealers to opt for the business. Poor Mexicans who did not have legitimate jobs took part in the activity to support their livelihoods.

The Impact of Heroin Distribution in Xalisco

In Xalisco, the use of heroin made farmers to rise in terms of economic statuses. As Quinones (2015) explains, the “Xalisco Boys” engaged in the distribution of the drugs in California. The economic forces also allowed the individuals to move into other destinations with the need to engage in the smuggling activity. They later spread in the small cities, such as Omaha, Nashville, Charlotte, and Columbus. Notably, the individuals desired to eliminate poverty and farm labor that bored no fruit; thus, they aimed to attain prosperity. In Mexico, the restriction and oppression of the poor was evident even in the schools. As such, the option of selling heroin was a life saving opportunity that needed to be exploited by the people. Notably, when the United States started addressing the challenge of pill mill and painkiller addiction, the clinicians increased the prices of prescription opioids; this it became expensive for the victims. In essence, it became hard to obtain the drugs and they looked for other options. The latter made the Xalisco Boys to take advantage of the situation by offering solution to the addicts by providing heroin. The latter led to the spread in the application and abuse of the drug as the individuals opted to obtain it as they could not afford OxyContin that had made them vulnerable.

The Impact of Lack of Proper Teaching Strategies

Although the author does not primarily base on rural education, the readers can identify that the problem of opiate epidemic was caused by lack of proper teaching strategies that do not address drug use by teenagers. Prescription painkiller has been a major challenge and the youths view the use of drugs as helpful. Therefore, the engagement in such activities has proved addictive and most of the people find hard tomes to abandon the acts. Although policies have been formulated to address the challenge, loopholes still exist and various drugs enter the market. Heroin, as a major challenge has been abused by those who were made vulnerable by OxyContin. Therefore, the painkiller drugs that were retailing in various places without proper guideline on the manner in which they are used posed a great threat to the individuals.

References

Quinones, S. (2015). Dreamland: The true tale of America’s opiate epidemic. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.