Recent news inform us that helping drug addicts is now a political priority.

The so-called ‘use of drugs’, as we know it, is one of the biggest problems our society confronts nowadays. Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug. It is used by millions of addicts around the world who are unable to overcome the urge to continue taking this drug every day of their lives.

It is clear that a person dealing with addiction needs the help and support of family members and friends. It takes an understanding support system to deal with the ongoing challenges. Nationwide, about 2.2 million people need treatment for opioid abuse, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but about only 1 million manage to get it.

To help make that happen, the federal government is looking to increase funding for heroin addiction programs. The Obama administration is proposing a significant boost in federal spending to battle the nation’s heroin addiction epidemic. They will seek a $1 billion increase in spending over two years to expand access to treatment. The administration will spend about $127 million on such treatment programs this year.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has also proposed legislation focused on authorizing grants to expand local treatment and recovery programs to dispose of excess painkillers. Florida Republican, Marco Rubio just signed on to co-sponsor the legislation, on the eve of the New Hampshire primary:

This bill will improve treatment options, increase prevention efforts, and help law enforcement fight drug abuse.

he stated in a declaration.

New Hampshire is a state that has been particularly ravaged by drugs. It has one of the highest rates of fatal opioid overdoses in the country. That means a lot of voters in New Hampshire want to talk about drug addiction. They want to know what the men and women running for president can do to help. They want to know what those in Congress can do about it and for good reason.

Another recent graph representation shows that more Americans die from drug overdoses now than from car crashes. In 2014, that was about 47,000 people. Most of these people took opioid painkillers prescribed by a doctor; many others died from heroin, the cheaper alternative.

Now, returning to the political report, one could easily say that the Obama administration and Congress are acting more because it’s politically expedient than because it’s the right thing to do for millions of Americans.

Even if it were true, it wouldn’t matter. More help and treatment services need to be made available for all the drug addicts and this proposal is a good step in that direction.

Image Source: slate.com; turner.com.