The Opioid Crisis: Atlanta
Around 2015–2016 my much older cousin stayed with my family and I for a while. He had a drinking problem and would drink very often, alcohol isn't opioids but it can still be abused like them.
My cousin had his problem for years prior to him staying with me but I only learned about it when I had met him for the first time in late 2014. Eventually, my cousin moved out of my house in early 2016 and he ended up bouncing around my other relative's homes looking for a place to say. Every time I visited he could be seen drinking and I would often overhear my other family members talking about his drinking and shift in health and appearance. He unexpectedly passed mid-2016, from what I learned he died of liver failure and alcohol poisoning. I felt sad inside and I wasn't alone I saw what type of shape he was in especially when he lived with me that previous year. It showed me what substance abuse can do to people.
Statistics
Substance abuse is a substantial problem that is claiming victims by the day. Specifically opioids/ pain killers, according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) there are over 192 overdoses every day that equates to around 70,80 people a year. In 2017 alone 47,600 people lost their lives, and it accounted for 67.8% of all drug overdose deaths. Specifically in 2017 Georgia was one of the states that saw an increase in OD related deaths.
Causes
In the 1990s pharmaceutical companies told the medical community that prescription pain killers were safe to distribute and had little repercussions. This led to widespread misuse of the products before it became evident that they were addictive. Afterward, American Opioid abuse began to steadily rise.
