Opiate Addiction Statistics

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) more than 38oo tons of opium and 996 tons of morphine and heroin were seized globally, between 2000 and 2010. Of the opium seizures, the United States is ranked fifth highest behind Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. It is ranked sixth highest in morphine and heroin seizures for those same years. There were more than 209 million prescriptions issued for opioid medications in 2010 with millions of Americans using them for nonmedical purposes. With the many other subcategories of opioid substances, including synthetic opioids, it is difficult to attribute addiction statistics to any one specific opiate. Records from treatment sources and intake assessments typically classify use of opiate “pain pills” separate from heroin or morphine addictions which require different strategies of intervention. With an estimated 6600 initial opiate users daily, more than half women, and a third between the ages of 12 and 17, it is no wonder opiate addiction has increasingly become a global burden. Americans use up to 80% of the world’ s supply of opioids, including 99% of the hydrocodone available, but, only makes up about 5% of the world’s population.

Effect and Treatment Statistics

The potential for addiction from opiate use is high for everyone but in recent studies, those more susceptible are women, youth, and older adults. A staggering 70% of 12th grade individuals said that they obtained the prescription narcotics from family or friends, and most perceive them as “safe”, adding to the cost burdens for behavioral treatments and family resource alternatives. Effects on communities, families, health, and government organizations require an unprecedented amount of investments from everyone and show little progress of resolve. Opiate use poses a much a higher risk of addiction than other psychoactive substances such as cannabis or cocaine with a higher intravenous rate accounting for more than 83% of intravenous addiction admissions and contributing to the burden of diseases globally. Studies concluded that treatment investments may reduce burdens of health cost an average of 12 to 1 and reduce employer health costs considerably. Most experts conclude that by reducing the opioid dependencies, society can gain a significant reduction in costs related to crime, judicial expenses, and theft.