Addiction in Washoe County

In recent weeks, numerous articles have discussed the opiate overdose epidemic in the country. The Centers for Disease Control reports that 44 people die each day in the United States from an overdose of prescription painkillers – a sobering statistic. When news reports saturate the airwaves about a particular drug problem and efforts are steered in a singular direction for too long, we forget that other drugs are also being abused. In Washoe County, community members are abusing alcohol, methamphetamine, marijuana, and synthetic drugs in addition to prescription opiates and heroin. You may ask, “what’s the worst drug?” And the answer is: the drug the person is abusing. A person addicted to alcohol can die from his addiction, and a person addicted to prescription pills can die from her addiction. Let’s not lose sight that a person with a substance abuse problem needs help – regardless of whether or not that person’s drug of choice is making news headlines. If you or someone you know has a substance abuse issue, you can reach the Substance Abuse Help Line at 775-825-HELP 24-hours-a-day.