Heroin Distribution and Its Use Within the United States

Over the past two decades, the United States has faced an increase in the abuse of opioids, primarily heroin. According to the Congressional Research Service, in 2016, about 0,4% of the US population over the age of 12 reported using heroin in the past year (2). In addition, most of them admitted to having used heroin in the previous decade (Trafficking of heroin 2). The issue calls for action, but first it needs to be discussed. One of the most important and famous works on this subject today is a book called Dreamland.
Dreamland is a non-fiction book written by American journalist Sam Quinones and published in 2015. Quinones spent several years researching and studying Mexican culture from the inside, which greatly influenced the work (Leonard 1). In the book, he takes an in-depth look at three different factors that have combined to cause the opioid epidemic in the United States.

The opioid crisis was originally built on the prescription of drugs by health professionals and the misunderstanding and underestimation of their effects. Scientists and doctors have always been aware of the addiction risks of opioids, but they are not always responsible for them. According to Quinones, a new approach to medical care and pain management began to develop in the 1980s (110).

The idea was that “pain neutralizes the euphoric effects of opiates, thus reducing the risk of addiction” (Quinones 110). This meant that drugs were subsequently prescribed more and more easily and in large quantities, with almost no control over their use. In the 1990s, this crusade took hold – people began to think that there was no cure for pain in America (Kinones 111). Medical professionals were encouraged to treat pain as the most routine thing, another important feature of the human body. Opioids were believed to be non-addictive when used correctly.

This became a new business model and mass brainwashing – the release of painkillers was strongly promoted and supported. One by one, people succumbed to it, and brand new addicts lined up to see doctors. New clinics were constantly opening, capitalizing on the opioid boom. Companies have created new devices to administer drugs — “the pharmaceutical company Baxter and others have produced intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps that allow patients to self-administer pain medication with the push of a button.” (Kinons 112). Instead of healing people, anything and everything seemed to encourage the abuse of pain.
The most popular pain reliever was OxyContin, or just Oxy, but after developing a tolerance, I switched to black tar heroin. It was cheaper than painkillers, you could smoke it instead of injecting it, so the transition from prescription drugs to heroin was “natural and easy” (Quinones 187). Anyone addicted to Oxy had a high chance of becoming addicted to heroin, which was exploited by Mexican traffickers. They saw a growing need for more affordable and easy-to-use medicine, and they did not fail to act on it. The system created by the Mexican was refreshing and effective. They looked after their customers – offering samples in advance and delivering within half an hour, all of which kept their prices low.
At that time, a large number of people in rural America were discontented and in despair. It’s no wonder they turned their hearts to drugs—opioids were widely prescribed by doctors, and back then the cheaper, stronger heroin seemed very appealing. However, heroin was not just a product for the poor and marginalized, as people from all classes and all sectors came into contact with it.
In the Mexican system, the primary directive for drug dealers was to sell in white areas. These white kids, who often came from wealthy suburbs, were looking for something to satisfy their hunger for adventure. Heroin became mainstream, and musicians and artists made it sexy, exciting and attractive. All this has created an interest in opioids and especially heroin among teenagers. Mexicans also played with their privilege and passed everything on to their neighbors, making consumption easy and credible. “In a culture that demanded comfort … heroin was the last solace.” (Cinema 25). This tactic allowed their business to flourish and exploited wealthy white Americans.

Middle class Americans were indeed a gold mine. The economy exploded; they could afford to buy drugs regularly; Remaining high-functioning members of society, most of them could even achieve high results in their professional lives (Quinones 1
2). Drug dealers would patrol the neighborhood, especially at fairs or parties, looking for high spenders. Part of their success came from carefully researching their audience and customer base.
Finally, mostly in the early 2010s, society began to understand the nature and patterns of addiction. Myths about it began to be destroyed one by one. It was no longer described as “bad” or “dirty” – but as a disease. It has been officially stated that “when people become addicted, they really lose a choice.” (Kinonit 353). Instead of being sent to prison for drugs, people started getting treatment. Rehabilitation centers began to open where non-violent and criminal inmates could get back on their feet.

Today, prescription drugs are much more cautious in the United States, and there is more information about the spread of illegal drugs across the country. Since 2016, the United States has had a national drug control strategy aimed at reducing illegal drug use (Trafficking in Heroin 12). This includes preventing drug addiction in American communities, increasing access to treatment and supporting recovery, and disrupting domestic drug trafficking (Heroin Trafficking 12). Although the heroin epidemic is far from disappearing, the United States is taking steps to mitigate it. Thanks to this, there is hope that the heroin crisis in the United States will be stopped relatively soon.