9781422279656

12

The Heroin Crisis

dependence on them. As a user’s nervous system becomes used to regular doses of the drug, it stops naturally producing the neurotransmitters. This means the user must take larger amounts of the drug in order to achieve the same euphoric effects. In addition, if the user tries to stop using an opioid he or she will suffer from unpleasant physical effects, known as withdrawal . These generally include severe headaches, uncon- trolled trembling, chills, pain and muscle spasms, insomnia, diarrhea, and vomiting. Some people experience nightmares, hallucinations, and depression. The symptoms of withdrawal can last for several weeks, and most addicts will do nearly any- thing to avoid them. Causes of the Crisis The present heroin crisis has been fueled by two important developments. One of them was the recognition by law enforcement officials and medical practitioners that there was a growing problem with abuse of opioid painkillers. Doctors began to reduce the number of prescriptions they wrote for opi- oids, and police began to crack down on illegal operations that sold the painkillers. But reducing the supply of opioid painkillers meant that patients who had become addicted to the drugs had to find other ways to get high. The second important development was the greater avail- ability of illegal heroin on the streets of cities and towns throughout the United States. Although the U.S. government has been waging a “war on drugs” since the 1960s, it has been unable to prevent illegal drugs from being smuggled over the borders. This is largely due to the rise of well-organized and