How to Combat Drug Addiction
One of the worst ongoing public health crisis in Pennsylvania is the opioid crisis, which had only been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the nation. In 2018, 65% of overdose deaths could be attributed to opioid use. There needs to be better addiction treatment in the state. 19.5% of women with HIV got it from needle injections. People who struggle with addiction are shamed by society and are more likely to go to jail for drug use than get the help they need.
People argue that some of these rehabilitation centers can get the state in trouble for giving illegal drugs to patients, but addiction is a mental illness, and leaving it untreated doesn’t help with the stigma of drug addiction or the crisis at all. Even Governor Wolf plans to launch a drug addiction campaign.
Reducing stigma around drug addiction is a big step to stop the crisis. Hopefully Wolf’s program will be the first step towards that.