The article that I chose to read about is the trends in deaths involving heroin and opioids and

how they have seen many cases increase throughout the years It is called “Opioids, cocaine,
cannabis and illicit drugs”. Which is shocking to see the numbers keep climbing as quickly as
they have been throughout the years. By this time, you would have thought that possibly they
would have had a control on the drug situation already. This article goes over the strictly use of
the opioids and the effects that it has had on the international world. The increase in number,
cases of people using, deaths, accidently deaths, etc.
The alarming rate that the drug use is growing is rapidly, we are seeing more and more cases
every year worldwide and many deaths as well. According to the article it was reported that
“It’s estimated that globally around 0.9% of the population had a drug use (excluding alcohol)
disorder in 2017.” Over the course of the year it is reported that over “166,000 die from drug
overdoes per year-more than half are younger than 50 years”, which of course opioids was
responsible for the majority of those deaths that happen worldwide.

By now we all know that heroin and opioids are strictly band, but we have still not been able to
contain the smuggling that has been going around internationally. For example, Afghanistan
was one the largest heroin productions places in the world which would eventually make its
way around the world. I believe that the biggest issue that we have is that there is so many
people making and distributing the drugs that is hard to contain all large numbers at once. Once
they get into the states or other countries it is distributed and it is getting everywhere. In the
article the largest number of consumers were in the age range of 20-24 years old, which
eventually once they got addicted, they would continue down a dark path until they would find
a way out. The reason that it is believed that there is a large number of cases in the twenties is
because they feel like that is when initiation of alcohol or drug use tends to begin in most
people’s life. I personally once I graduated from high school, I saw more and more of alcohol
use and drug use from people and even close friends of mine.
The largest number of increases that we saw worldwide was in the United States. As it was
shown in the article the US surpass everyone in this category as well. The reason that it seems
like we are more likely to have more cases is because of how easy it is to smuggle things from
other countries into ours. As soon as we get a better control on the drug smuggling here in the
US, I do not see the number going down anytime soon. Initially the usage of heroin and opioids
is a big profit market worldwide, as long as there is buyers there will always be people
distributing.

Opioids, cocaine, cannabis, and illicit drugs. (2019). Our World in Date.

https://ourworldindata.org/illicit-drug-use