Sec. 2. Findings
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Congress makes the following findings: The Controlled Substances Act ( 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq. ) declares that many controlled substances have a useful and legitimate medical purpose and are necessary to maintain the health and general welfare of the people of the United States. Health care professionals, medical experts, researchers, and scientists have found pain to be a major national health problem. The responsible treatment of pain is a high priority for our Nation and the needs of individuals with pain must be taken into careful consideration when taking steps to prevent prescription drug misuse and abuse.
When no longer needed or wanted for legitimate pain management or health treatment, prescription opioids are susceptible to diversion. Prescription opioids also may be abused by individuals who were not prescribed such drugs, or misused by individuals not taking such drugs as directed. Approximately 4 out of 5 new heroin users report that they became addicted to prescription opioids before they used heroin for the first time. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin attaches to the same brain cell receptors as prescription opioids.
The low cost and high purity of currently available heroin has contributed to an increase in heroin use across the United States. More people are using heroin, and are using heroin at a younger age. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that new heroin users numbered 142,000 in 2010, and increased to 178,000 in 2011. In 2011, the average age at first use among heroin abusers between 12 and 49 years was 22.1 years. In 2009, the average age at first use among heroin abusers between 12 and 49 years was 25.5 years.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, heroin use nationwide rose 79 percent between 2007 and 2012. Deaths from heroin overdose have significantly increased in communities across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of deaths involving heroin almost tripled between 2010 and 2013. From 2010 to 2013, the number of heroin deaths rose from 3,036 to 8,257. The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program under part E of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 ( 42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq. ) is critical to fighting the prescription opioid abuse and heroin use epidemics, and should be reauthorized and fully funded.
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