Lee Zeldin: “The rapid rise in drug abuse across America, specifically the sharp increase in heroin and prescription opioid abuse…”

“The rapid rise in drug abuse across America, specifically the sharp increase in heroin and prescription opioid abuse, has severely impacted our local communities and has become a major issue across our country. Tragically, 78 people each day will lose their battle with addiction and their life as a result of an opioid or heroin overdose. Sadly, with the trends moving the way they are, this number will only continue to increase. According to the CDC, in 2014, over 28,000 people lost their lives due to prescription opioid pain relievers or heroin. This was the highest recorded number of overdose deaths of any year. Newsday on Long Island just reported an increase in overdose deaths in our region, stating that 442 people died of a heroin or opiate overdose in 2014, a number that has increased from 403 overdose deaths the prior year. Addiction is a devastating disease that takes hold of our loved ones and impacts everyone around that person. This is a lonely and heartbreaking disease that is taking lives, tearing families apart, and destroying our communities. It must be stopped. In a report that highlights the growing drug abuse epidemic sweeping across our Nation, the CDC found that over the past decade, heroin use has doubled among young adults ages 18 to 25, and heroin-related overdose deaths have nearly quadrupled, with every 6 out of 10 drug overdoses linked to opioids or heroin.…”