Prescription Drug Abuse

“America's public enemy number one in the united states is drug abuse.” (Nixon) Heroin struck the U.S in the late 1960s, causing the U.S. to spend billions. What shocked many was the majority of addicts being white. Statistics show that 4 in 5 heroin user started off my misusing prescription drugs. Thousands in the U.S began by taking prescription drugs, such as painkillers containing opium. America was fiercely losing the war on drugs and the harsh laws were seem to be a mistake. New York city was the first to struggle in the late 1960s with crime and drug addiction. Almost 200 people died due to heroin overdose alone in 1970. The state tried numerous approaches, but the crime continued. Therefore, in 1971 president Richard Nixon declared …show more content…
Methadone was used to treat 15,000 heroin addicts, the crime rate was cut in half, and overdoses reduced dramatically. However, With heroin spread all over the country. Methadone was overshadowed and politics decided to get tough with more police, more prisons, and harsher laws. Curt smokes noticed that imprisoning was not the answer and began to challenge the imprisoning of addicts, an idea that went nowhere. Later on, when a wave of AIDS and HIV cases arrived in the U.S. Shmoke started a free needle exchange program in hopes to lower HIV and AIDs. With enough problems in the United States fighting the war on drugs,a new drug arrived many call it crack cocaine a drug that caused destruction and violent crimes. As generations saw the negative effects of the drugs, younger siblings and peers have driven away from ever trying them. However, 40 years later the U.S faces its second a heroin crisis, this time, heroin user being mostly white men and women. In conclusion,Drug addiction and the war on drugs caused thousands of lives and families to be lost.The war on drugs was heavily invested in with many new approaches, treatments, and