J’la Jenkins Health Disparities Project 4/11/2019

Drug addiction is an issue that affects millions of Americans everyday. It is simply

defined as an inability to control one’s use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Drug
addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease. The American Psychiatric Association
defines it as a disease characterized by compulsive substance use despite risk or harm (2017). In
an article by Paula Braveman health disparity is clearly defined health as a “Difference that is
closely linked with economic, social, or environmental disadvantage.” She goes on to say,
“Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced
greater social or economic obstacles to health” (2014). Drug addiction affects people across
various races, genders, and class statutes, However, minorities and those of lower socioeconomic
status are often criminalized for having this debilitating disease.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2017, reports show that
19.7 million adult Americans struggle with substance use disorder (2019).The national drug
overdose death rate rose to 70, 237 that same year (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019).
Addiction negatively affects someone physically, socially, legally, and financially. Health issues
associated with it include the contraction of HIV/AIDS, organ damage, cancer, hormonal
imbalances, and prenatal and fertility issues. Signs of an addict include isolation, mood swings,
loss of interest in usual activities, struggling at work or school, and anxiety. American Indians
and Alaska Natives age 12 and older had the highest rate of substance abuse and dependence in
2017, at 12.8%.Whites had a 7.7% rate of substance abuse in 2017. About 6.8% percent of
African Americans struggled with substance use disorders, while the percentage of Hispanics or
Latinos who suffered from substance use disorders was 6.6%.
Drug addiction hurts minority communities and those of lower socioeconomic
status. According to the CDC, “Heroin use in Americans with an annual income of $20,000-
$49,000 had the highest increase, at 77%. Those with an income of less than $20,000 rolled in at
a 60% increase in heroin use (2013). Although addiction is not discriminatory, it affects
minorities worse than whites due to lack of access to rehabilitation services, community support,
or financial ability. Many times drugs plague minority communities therefore creating an
environment that increases the susceptibility of addiction.

Two social determinants of drug addiction are education and economics. If people were
more educated on the risk factors they would realize how much one’s biology can play a part in
one’s likelihood of addiction. It would also be beneficial to teach communities about the severity
of consequences associated with addiction. Poorer people often do not know this information and
are not educated on addiction. Therefore, poorer people engage in doing drugs because of lack of
education. Addiction Prevention Center encourages readers to “know the facts” and educate
themselves about the prevention of drug abuse. Economically, according to research by the CDC,
poorer people are more likely to become addicts. Drugs are sold more in lower income
communities therefore making it more accessible.

Any drug addiction is a health concern for society yet all drug addictions have not been
treated the same. Minister Ed Stetzer is one leader who expresses his regrets in his article, “Lock
Them Up: My Double Standard In Responding to the Crack Crisis vs. the Opioid Epidemic”. In
the article Ed expresses that during the crack epidemic, religious leaders were all joining the
fight for harsher criminal sentencing on drugs and speaking down upon those who pleaded for
treatment and rehabilitation. He then goes on to explain why he believes the only reason his
perspective has changed is the color of the people involved. In the 1980s at the height of the
J’la Jenkins Health Disparities Project 4/11/2019

epidemic, crack cocaine was predominantly seen in poorer black communities. The opioid crisis,
on the other hand, has primary affected the white community. In the end, the author believes that
in the same way opioids are being viewed as a health issue, crack cocaine should have been
treated the same. This is relevant because it shows that drugs can be a race issue. It also shows
the devaluation of african American health by attach the disease to criminality.

The second article “Why Didn't My Drug-Affected Family Get Any Sympathy” by Issac
J. Bailey explains his personal connection to the crack epidemic and how he notices a difference
in the Nation’s addressment of this issue. In the article the author explains that there is sympathy
given to those battle opioid addiction that was not given to those addicted to crack-cocaine. He
also describes how the depiction of the two in media are vastly different. In the 1980’s he
remembers only seeing police bursting into people’s houses, snatching them from their families
to arrest them. It was seen in poor, ghetto black communities. Black people were paraded on
nightly news channels in handcuffs. In contrast, Issac recalls seeing a news cover with an angelic
boy standing beside what appeared to be his doped up mother. He explains that he could never
recall a humanizing view being given to black people battling crack addictions. This article is
relevant because it displays how the media played a role in shaping societies view of the two
epidemics.

Both articles are similar in that they both evaluate how each drug is being handled by the
government. Both authors realize a clear difference in the treatment of the epidemics and the
people it involved. I think both stories bring up valid points that the situation the nation faced
with the opioid crisis was not new but the color of the people it involved was. Onel strategy I
would suggest would be for all communities to provide education based support groups for
families that are dealing with addiction.
J’la Jenkins Health Disparities Project 4/11/2019

References

Bailey, I. J., Shafer, J., Scher, B., & Manne, K. (2018, June 10). Why Didn't My Drug-Affected
Family Get Any Sympathy? Retrieved from
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/06/10/opioid-crisis-crack-crisis-race-donald-
trump-218602

Braveman, P. (2014). What Are Health Disparities and Health Equity? We Need to Be Clear.
Nursing in 3D: Diversity, Disparities, and Social Determinants 129(2). 5-8

Can you prevent addiction? (2017, April 14). Retrieved from

https://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction-prevention

Drug addiction (substance use disorder). (2017, October 26). Retrieved April 10, 2019, from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112

Ggalliani. (2019, April 01). Consequences of Addiction | Effects of Substance Abuse. Retrieved
April 10, 2019, from https://www.serenityatsummit.com/resources/consequences-of-addiction/

Stetzer, E. (2017, October 26). 'Lock them up:' My double standard in responding to the crack
crisis vs. the opioid epidemic. Retrieved April 11, 2019, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/10/26/lock-them-up-my-double-
standard-in-responding-to-the-crack-crisis-vs-the-opioid-
epidemic/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b887b67c7af4

Thomas, S. (2019). Statistics on Drug Addiction. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from
https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/addiction-statistics