In October of 2017, President Donald Trump declared the American opioid crisis a public health emergency. On Tuesday, American singer and actress Demi Lovato suffered a heroin overdose and was rushed to hospital. She was declared in stable condition on Wednesday, as love and support poured out over social media. The hashtag #PrayForDemi trended on Twitter, accompanying posts with images of the singer at brighter moments in her career. There were also uglier, unsympathetic posts as well, emphasizing Lovato’s own responsibility or “weakness” for relapsing after she marked 6 years sober in March on her Twitter.
Lovato’s overdose is another symbol for the staggering reality of opioid use in the United States. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 116 people died every day of 2016 from opioid overdose. This is largely due to the overprescription of opioid painkillers by American doctors over the last decade.
Lovato has been transparent about her personal struggles throughout her career. She’s related to fans by opening up about her struggles with eating disorder, addiction and depression. Last month, she released a single called “Sober,” a heart wrenching ballad admitting that she has relapsed. But Lovato’s honesty about her addiction on a public scale is not representative of the millions who struggle with opioid addiction without telling anyone--leaving them without a lifeline.
This public tragedy must serve as a wakeup call for America: the policies and procedures we have in place are not enough. It’s extremely plausible to, like Lovato, be sober for years, then suddenly relapse and overdose. The issue of opioid addiction must be seen as an illness rather than a crime, and we need more funding for rehabilitation centers. Demi Lovato will not be the last person to overdose, but she can help push the United States to a point where heroin overdose becomes a much less prevalent issue.