Last month, the Surgeon General announced that 1 in 7 people in the US will face substance addiction in their lifetime. This and other statistics on the growing epidemic are outlined in “Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health”.  The report discusses at length how the stigma of drug addiction damages addicts and only prolongs the cycle.

This plays largely into the fact that only 10% of those with a substance abuse problem receive treatment.  Many addicts will be either pushed away and cut off before getting a chance at long term effective treatment or left out to dry with long waiting lists and lack of federal funding for treatment centers.

All of this contributes to the fact that every 19 minutes in America someone dies of an opioid or heroin overdose a staggering number when you take into account that naloxone is more available throughout the US. The report shines light on the fact that more needs to be done. Those who suffer with substance abuse need the support of their loved ones getting them into treatment. The government needs to put more into rehabilitation rather than incarcerating those who use drugs.