Drug Overdose Among Homeless Population

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Photo by Jae C. Hong, files forensics (2023)
 
     Drug overdose has become a real problem within the homeless population, slightly passing motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death. This is apparent in Portland, Oregon, where in 2021, 193 homeless individuals have died with 60% of that were of drug overdose. This trend can be mirrored to many parts of the country such as New York, Massachusetts, and San Francisco where they also see an increase in the deaths of homeless people due to drugs, making this an emerging problem that can get out of hand if nothing happens. 
 
    A county health officer of Multnomah, Jennifer Vines, states that, "polysubstance, meth and fentanyl are the key takeaways" further adding to the rise of fentanyl which was a big boom on the streets. Fentanyl has created many problems for the city, as it is also used with many other drugs such as meth and opioids, since it is always available and cheap. “What we weren’t prepared for was simply the use of fentanyl as a drug that became cheap, that became highly available, and that is so potent and short-acting that people actually develop an addiction and seek out the drug itself," she said during a news conference.

    According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, those who are homeless have a higher risk to drug abuse than those who are not due to stresses of homelessness. The current system we have has not made it easy for those in need of help as most of the homeless probably experienced incarceration, making it hard for them to work to pay for treatment. Those who were incarcerated and homeless prior to or after are essentially put in a cyclic system where they keep going back to jail, which halts makes getting help even harder. Even having a job may still make it hard for those who were in this similar situation due to having a lesser paying job which reduces their pay by 40%. 
 

More information on the causes and risk factors of drug overdose among homeless population:

  • Self-medication to relieve stress or other health problems
  •  Lack of social support
  • Trauma
  • Availability of drugs making it easy to get
  • Cycle of addiction, which makes it a barrier for recovery

 Risk of becoming homeless

Graph by Digital Commons (2015)

How can you help someone who is homeless and struggling with drug abuse?

    If someone close to you or someone you know is homeless and having trouble stopping drug use, you can help them by:
  • Contacting local HUD Continuum of Care who specializes in connecting homeless people to treatment centers.
  • Searching a website that offers free healthcare such as the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics
  • Search for no-cost treatment centers on SAMHSAs website or call their number at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
  • Contacting non-profit social services organizations or local food pantry

     For more information, visit this site to find more ways you can help someone who is struggling with homelessness and drug abuse: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless

Cited Sources

Photos courtesy of Jae C. Hong (Courthouse News Service) and Seattle University School of Law Digital Commons

Bauer, Leah K, et al. “Characteristics of Homeless Adults Who Died of Drug Overdose: A Retrospective Record Review.” Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4911892/.

Mosel, Stacy, et al. “Substance Abuse and Homelessness: Statistics and Rehab Treatment.” American Addiction Centers, 3 Jan. 2024, americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/homeless.

Rush, Claire. “Substances Fuel Record Homeless Deaths in Portland, Oregon.” AP News, AP News, 15 Feb. 2023, apnews.com/article/portland-opioids-health-methamphetamines-67499197135143b47f460668b3013639.

Lurie, Kaya, et al. “Discrimination at the Margins: The Intersectionality of Homelessness and Other Marginalized Groups - Seattle University.” Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, Seattle University of Law Digital Commons, 5 Aug. 2015, digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=hrap. 

“Drug Overdoses in the US Slightly Increased Last Year. but Experts See Hopeful Signs.” Courthouse News Service, 17 May 2023, www.courthousenews.com/drug-overdoses-in-the-us-slightly-increased-last-year-but-experts-see-hopeful-signs/.

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