Is drug use common among homeless people?

A common stereotype of the homeless population is that they are all alcoholics or drug abusers. The truth is that a high percentage of homeless people do struggle with substance abuse, but addictions should be viewed as illnesses and require a great deal of treatment, counseling, and support to overcome. Substance. read more

Opioid abuse is becoming increasingly common and has been identified as one of the leading causes of death among homeless people in urban areas, reports JAMA Internal Medicine. Heroin is one of the most commonly abused opioid drugs among homeless individuals, many of whom take the drug intravenously. read more

Homelessness is a persistent problem—nearly 690,000 people are homeless on a given night in America—and it takes a terrible toll in sickness and mortality. The leading cause of death among homeless Americans used to be HIV, but that has been replaced by a new epidemic: drug overdose. read more