Photo: Hunter Biden’s Addiction Upended His Family. Has Your Family Had Similar Woes? | Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times
On June 11, 2024, a jury found Hunter Biden guilty of three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase of a handgun. Federal prosecutors successfully argued that Biden had committed crimes by failing to disclose his use of illegal drugs on a form he was required to fill out in order to buy the weapon. To many people, this trial and its verdict were further evidence of the nation’s deepening political divide. To others, the focus was on Hunter Biden and his past cocaine use which was a reminder of the profound damage that untreated addiction can cause.
Jump to Section
What We Know About Hunter Biden and His Cocaine Addiction
Neither Hunter Biden nor his parents, U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, dispute the fact that Hunter has struggled with both drug abuse and addiction throughout his life.
One of the first times that Hunter Biden’s cocaine use garnered public attention was in 2013. Shortly after being sworn into the U.S. Naval Reserve, the younger Biden tested positive for the drug, which led to him being separated from the service.
As is so often the case among people who struggle with addiction, Hunter Biden’s life has been touched by tragedy and trauma.
In 1972, Hunter was in the car with his mother, brother, and sister when their vehicle was broadsided by a tractor trailer.
Hunter, who was three years old at the time of the accident, received a fractured skull. His older brother, Beau, then age 4, incurred several broken bones. The boys’ mother, Neilia, and their year-old sister, Naomi, were both killed in the crash.
Four decades later, in 2015, Beau Biden – with whom Hunter was extremely close – died from brain cancer.
In his memoir, which was published in 2021, Hunter wrote that his brother’s death pushed him into a “deep descent” of substance abuse and addiction.
“After Beau died, I never felt more alone. I lost hope,” Biden wrote.
Is Hunter Still Using Drugs?
An Associated Press article about Hunter Biden’s cocaine use and guilty verdict reported that the president’s son has not used alcohol or any other drugs since 2019.
In a statement after the conclusion of his trial, Biden indicated that he is no longer ensnared in active addiction.
“Recovery is possible by the grace of God, and I am blessed to experience that gift one day at a time,” he said.
How Hunter’s Cocaine Addiction is a Reminder of the Drug Epidemic in the U.S.
Over the past few years, few substance-related news stories have received the level of attention that reports of Hunter Biden’s cocaine addiction have garnered. But Biden is far from alone when it comes to compulsive drug use.
The 2022 edition of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NS-DUH) revealed the following about the scope of substance abuse and addiction in the United States:
- More than 168 million people ages 12 and above (which represents about 59.8% of that demographic group) used an illicit drug at least once in the previous 12 months.
- 48.7 million people in that age group (about 17.3% of the total) met the criteria for a diagnosis of a substance use disorder, which is the clinical term for addiction.
- Among those who struggled with addiction, about 60% (29.5 million people) had alcohol use disorder (alcoholism).
Discussions of the drug abuse epidemic in the U.S often focus on fentanyl, prescription painkillers, and other opioids. This is understandable, as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reported the following about opioid-involved overdose deaths in the U.S.:
- In 2022, NIDA recorded 107,941 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. Opioids were involved in 81,806 of these deaths, or more than 75% of the total.
- 73,838 of these overdose deaths (or 68% of the yearly total) involved synthetic opioids other than methadone, a category that primarily includes fentanyl.
- Prescription opioids were involved in 14,716 deaths, or 13.6% of the annual total.
- Heroin contributed to 5,871 overdose deaths, or about 5.4% of the annual total.
However, cocaine abuse has also contributed to the nation’s rising rates of overdose deaths. For example, NIDA has reported the following about cocaine’s impact:
- In 2015, cocaine was involved in 6,784 overdose deaths.
- By 2019, this number had increased by more than 200%, rising to 15,883.
- In 2022, cocaine was a factor in 27,569 overdose deaths, or just over 25% of the annual total for that year.
Contact Phoenix Rising Recovery To Learn How Cocaine Addiction is Treated
If you have been living with untreated cocaine addiction, please know that help is available and treatment works. When you get the care that aligns with your unique needs, you can end your cocaine use for good and make sustained progress toward a healthier and more hopeful life.
Phoenix Rising Recovery offers a full continuum of customized care for adults who have developed addictions to cocaine and other substances. Your options at our cocaine addiction treatment center in Southern California include 30- and 90-day residential rehab programs, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient care.
In each of our programs, your progress will be guided by an individualized treatment plan that we will create just for you. Throughout your time with us, you will be cared for by a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals.
To learn more about cocaine addiction treatment at Phoenix Rising Recovery or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Sources:
Related Posts
