More people seek treatment for heroin use than for any other illicit drug, except marijuana.

The decline in the number of treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities for abuse of controlled prescription drugs (CPD) can likely be attributed to the increase of (CPD) abusers using heroin. Many abusers, when unable to obtain or afford CPDs, begin using heroin, a cheaper alternative that offers similar physiological effects.

Medications are available to treat heroin addiction while reducing drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms, improving the odds of achieving abstinence. There are now a variety of medications that can be tailored to a person’s recovery needs while taking into account co-occurring health conditions.  

Source: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), Research Report Series:  Heroin, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | National Institutes of Health