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The number of people taking heroin for the first time decreased by more than half in 2017 compared to the previous year, a sign that prevention efforts could begin, according to a government survey released Friday.
The National Survey of Drug Use and Health indicates that 81,000 people took the drug last year, compared to 170,000 new users in 2016.
Authorities said the finding is important because heroin is increasingly mixed with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids that fuel the US overdose crisis.
About 11.4 million people abused any form of opioid in 2017, up from 12.7 million the year before, officials said, pointing to a noticeable decrease in drug abuse. hydrocodone on prescription.
Federal officials said they were encouraged by the change, as Congress is concerned with the supply of addictive painkillers and President Trump treats the opioid epidemic as a public health emergency. Yet, they recognized that drug abuse is endemic and remains difficult, with the supply of drugs becoming more dangerous.
"The message begins to reach them. But as this data shows, there is still much to be done, "said James Carroll, Acting Director of the Bureau of National Drug Control Policy.
In 2017, a record number of 72,000 people died of an overdose, an increase of 10% over 2016, largely because of the influx of fatal fentanyl with l & # 39; heroin.
According to the survey, while the number of heroin abusers has nearly doubled in the past 15 years, there have been seven times as many heroin deaths in 2017.
"What this tells us is that we have a heroine on the street who is far more toxic and dangerous than in 2002," said Elinore McCance-Katz, HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Disease. drug addiction.
The Senate is expected to vote Monday night for a full package of opioids that will require, among other things, US postal services to require advanced electronic data on foreign parcels, so that customs officers can target the shipment of fentanyl mortal.
The annual survey on drug use and mental health is compiled from interviews with about 67,500 people in households, university residences, homeless homes and military bases to get a overview of drug use in America.
Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit substance, with 15% of Americans over the age of 12 – 41 million people – reporting having used it.
All age groups experienced an increase in marijuana use and consumption among women increased from 17.5% in 2016 to 19.2% in 2017.
Marijuana is followed by psychoactive drugs such as opioids and prescription sedatives (18 million), cocaine (6 million), then hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamines and heroin, used by 886,000 Americans. .
"The use of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine is a reality," Carroll said. "So we are not just in opioid crisis. It's a crisis of dependence.
Mr. Carroll has just returned from Colombia, where he discussed the growing availability of cocaine with President Ivan Duque Martinez and efforts to reduce South American production.
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