Is There A Heroin Crisis? A Response to Nick Gillespie

According to libertarian political pundit and editor in chief of Reason.com, Nick Gillespie, the recent death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has triggered, what he characterizes as “[a] massive outpouring of patently false and exaggerated stories about the increase in heroin use.” Gillespie then continues by citing sources which show that there has indeed been a dramatic increase in Heroin use over the past decade. I’ve had to pinch myself repeatedly just to make sure that I’ve actually been reading what I’ve been reading.  Here’s my best attempt at untangling Nick Gillespie’s twisted sense of  libertarian logic:

In his recent article published at Time.com, Gillespie argues that all the recent claims concerning a dramatic rise in Heroin use, that are being made by the media and government officials, are nothing more than hype and blatantly false exaggerations with no factual basis.

In making his case, Gillespie defers straightaway to an article written by his colleague from Reason.com, Jacob Sullum, who argues that the actual government statistics show, to quote Gillespie, “absolutely no increase” in the use of Heroin. To construct their argument, Gillespie and his cohorts must first cherry pick their data, and then cunningly switch apples for oranges.

Purportedly citing the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2012 report, Gillespie comments that only “0.1% of Americans ages 12 and older reported using the drug in the past month.” As Gillespie notes, this cherry picked and contextually isolated statistic, is the same percentage that was reported back in in 2002. But, Gillespie conveniently omits all other parts of the survey, along with the vast cauldron of statistical information that is available from local agencies. Across the nation and across the board, reports tend to show a clear pattern of increased Heroin use and overdose. For example:

In New York City, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports an 84 percent increase in Heroin-related deaths from 2010 to 2012. Likewise, in Philadelphia, Heroin-related overdoses have jumped nearly 250 percent between 2010 and 2012. And in Miami-Dade, Florida, reflecting the national trend, we find the number of Heroin related deaths have jumped a full 120 percent in the same time period.

Such are the reports from around the country, including here in Chicago, where Heroin use is clearly on the rise. Dawn Turner Trice, writing for the Chicago Tribune on February 10, 2014, also cites the same report as Gillespie, only with a much different take on the data, stating that “the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found heroin use across the country has nearly doubled since 2007.”

Looking to the same article written by Sullum which Gillespie cites as the main source in support of his premise, we find that the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that “0.3 percent of Americans 12 and older used heroin in 2012, compared to 0.2 percent in 2002.” Mathematically speaking, that would be a 50% increase in overall use of Heroin! This also coincides with the vast array of local statistics which also show a dramatic rise in Heroin use.

What Gillespie and crew attempt to evade, is that the same report they wish to invoke in justifying their position, clearly shows that there have been statistical “increases in the use of heroin,” and that; between 2002 and 2012, those reporting past month and past year Heroin use among people aged 12 or older, has doubled:

(Photo Credit: SAMHSA )

This is where an intellectual swindle is now employed: after producing statistics which do not support their claims, Gillespie and his cohorts then switch the topic by arguing that, despite the very real increase in heroin use, “overall heroin rates remain very low.”

But, that is NOT the question: the question is whether Heroin use is actually on the rise, or just a bunch of media hype. Overall Heroin “rates” reaming “very low” does not negate the fact that Heroin use is dramatically on the rise. All surveys and statistics show that the percentage of people using and overdosing on Heroin, has dramatically increased over the past decade.

I share Gillespie’s concern over ever-increasing drug laws – laws which do little in actually curbing drug use, but rather increase both black markets and prison populations – however, I do not feel the need to retreat into denial concerning the recent dramatic rise in Heroin use, nor its connection to prescription drugs.

Our current drug policies are a futile game of cat-and-mouse, which do nothing to curb drug addiction. In short, the “War On Drugs” has proven to be an absolute failure, and it is now past time to seriously consider legalization of all drugs.

While I in no way advocate in favor of hard drug use, I see no better way of removing the fuel that keeps alight the fires of violence and destruction, than legalization and regulation of drugs such as Heroin. The best use of societal time and money in combating Heroin addiction, is better spent on prevention, harm reduction, and treatment rather than criminal incarceration.

UPDATE: Nick Gillespie has been so kind as to have responded to my post. However, he has continued in his attempt to apply an intellectual swindle by continually switching away from his original premise, which was that Heroin use is NOT on the rise. Gillespie is absolutely correct in his claim that only a small percentage of people use Heroin.That, however, was not his original contention.

To deny that Heroin use is on the rise, does a disservice to any arguments for the legalization of drugs, a position which I believe Mr. Gillespie and myself both share.

Worth reading but still wrong 1/2 RT @chuckjines67: Is There A #Heroin Crisis? A Response to @nickgillespie http://t.co/ibODae4uot

— Nick Gillespie (@nickgillespie) February 18, 2014

@nickgillespie I agree, but that was not your original argument. You said that heroin use, is not on the rise. Much different. — Chuck Jines (@chuckjines67) February 18, 2014

@nickgillespie This is a quote from YOUR source which YOU cite: “Recent INCREASES in the use of heroin were also evident in…”

— Chuck Jines (@chuckjines67) February 18, 2014

Note: My reply is too long for a Tweet. I informed Nick Gillespie that my response to the following would be posted on my blog:

Nick Gillespie @nickgillespie
@chuckjines67: Quote from my article: “no increase in regular use of the drug…” I argue epidemic talk is overstated, hysterial

Sorry Nick, but you never used the term “epidemic” in your article, nor did you cite anyone that used that word: “America’s heroin problem,” “the rapidly growing crisis of heroin,” are the phrases that you used. These terms correctly define the situation.

Your friend Jacob Sullum quotes Max Lockie as having stated that “first time heroin use has increased by nearly 60% over the past decade.” Sullum attempts to lead one to believe that this is somehow an exaggeration on the part of Lockie, when in fact the data Sullum cites directly after mocking Lockie, confirms what Lockie stated! Are you not getting that part? Heroin use, regardless of whether one wishes to call it “regular use,” or irregular use, has risen by about 50% since 2002 – which, is worthy of note.

Granted that the media has a tendency to add hype, but what you are doing is overcompensating in the other direction by being in denial of the dramatic rise in Heroin use.