Unless indicated otherwise, source [1] is used. I read a bit about this when I first heard about it approximately a year ago, and as far as I can tell, there's

Unless indicated otherwise, source [1] is used. I read a bit about this when I first heard about it approximately a year ago, and as far as I can tell, there's no clean solution. There are essentially two main components of the opioid crisis: 1. Overprescription of opioid CPDs (controlled prescription drugs). 2. An influx of heroin provided by the cartels over the southern border. In order to make headway in this issue, both of these sources need to be addressed ASAP. I know that for some people weaker painkillers do very little for them (vicodin does very little for me), but excesses in peoples prescriptions (getting 30+ when they need <10) and increasing prescription rates over the last two decades are huge contributors to the current crisis. And, despite the fact that border security has recently been taken up as a mantra for arbitrary bigotry, it might be necessary to qualm this crisis. I hate to say it, but if the wall could help, then building it might not be such a bad thing. Some important points: 1. Opiate and benzodiazepine CPDs cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined, and have since 2002 (25,760 deaths in 2014). 2. The population of abusers of heroin is approximately one tenth of the population of abusers of CPDs. However, the number of deaths due to heroin is approximately half of those due to CPDs. 3. From 2002-2011 the number of CPD abusers initiating heroin use was 3.6% of the total number of CPD abusers 2002-2011, but was 79% of new heroin abusers because the size difference between the CPD/heroin abuser populations. 4. In 2013, the CPD abuser population was estimated to be 15x the heroin abuser population. In 2013, it was estimated to be 10x. 5. In 2013, 78% of heroin admissions had been in treatment once before and 27% had been in treatment five or more times before - in other words, the relapse rate is extremely high. 6. Comparison between opioid medication prescription rate [2] and deaths due to heroin OD per 100000 [1, pg. 55]. For anyone who isn't alarmed by the opioid crises, here's a statistic on deaths in the USA due to heroin overdose by year (which the CDC estimates is undercounted by as much as 30%!): 2007: 2402 2008: 3041 2009: 3278 2010: 3036 2011: 4397 2012: 5927 2013: 8257 2014: 10574 2015: 12989 [4] And don't forget the 250% jump from 2013-14 in Fentanyl-related deaths [3]! 1. https://www.dea.gov/resource-center/2016%20NDTA%20Summary.pdf https://www.dea.gov/resource-center/2016%20NDTA%20Summary.pd... 2. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/prescribing.html https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/prescribing.html 3. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/fentanyl.pdf https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_chem_info/fentanyl.p... 4. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm655051e1.htm https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm655051e1.htm