Drug Rehab Facilities Taking Notice of Teen Heroin Use
Mesa, Arizona (PRWEB) April 25, 2014 -- A disturbing trend is taking form throughout high schools in the United States, and that is a dramatic increase in how many teenagers are both experimenting with and regularly using heroin. It is believed that this surge is related to tightened restrictions on prescription painkillers which lead teens to chase a similar high in the form of cheap heroin. Staff members at holistic drug rehab center The River Source are aware of this trend and have understandably come to expect an increase in treatments for young adults in the coming years. "It's really scary how this problem has escalated,” says Program Manager Zach Lynch. “Without help, these kids end up in jail or dying.”
Unfortunately the evidence for teen heroin use is more than just anecdotal. The U.S. Department of Justice recently reported that 25 percent of high school seniors said they could fairly or very easily obtain the drug, and the Centers for Disease Control found that around 3 percent of high school students have used it. On average, 23 percent of those who have used heroin once have become dependent on it, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Another contributing factor for heroin dependence in recent years is the remarkable increase in purity, meaning that the product is less adulterated with a greater amount of ‘raw’ heroin present. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that in 1980, heroin sold on the streets was about 4 percent pure. Today that percentage has skyrocketed to around 40 percent, allowing for teens to either smoke or snort the drug and achieve a high similar to what would have been accomplished with injection only a few years back. Compounding the problem is the dramatic decrease in price due to greater competition in the illegal drug trade over the past few years, as illustrated here.
Not unlike other drugs, one thing that makes heroin so dangerous is that higher doses quickly become necessary to achieve the same effects. This often leads to an increase in how much of the drug is used or how often, which has all the makings of an eventual physical dependence on the drug. Those addicted to heroin usually experience withdrawal symptoms within 12 hours of their last use, according to a study published by the National Institute of Health.
As mentioned, teenagers are often led to heroin after using or abusing prescription painkillers which were either accessible to them or stolen from medicine cabinets. Many will then transition to heroin when access to prescriptions dries up and a dependence has started to form.
The River Source of Arizona has been providing holistic treatment for those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction since 2003 and highly encourages those battling with heroin dependence to contact them for a consultation. The River Source operates drug rehab facilities in both Mesa and Casa Grande, Arizona.
Malissa Stawicki, The River Source, http://www.theriversource.org, +1 (732) 749-8326, [email protected]
Share this article