Opioid Epidemic

Opioid addiction is so prevalent in the healthcare system because of the countless number of hospital patients being treated for chronic pain. While opioid analgesics have beneficial painkilling properties, they also yield detrimental dependence and addiction. There is a legitimate need for the health care system to provide powerful medications because prolonged pain limits activities of daily living, work productivity, quality of life, etc. (Taylor, 2015). Patients need to receive appropriate pain treatment, however, opioids need to be prescribed after careful consideration of the benefits and risks.

In America, the use of opioids is at an all time high, it has became such an issue nationwide, that it has became an epidemic. Because of the opioid epidemic, America is tearing apart, children all across the country are dying everyday, these children are dying from overdoses due to poisoning. The opioid problem is not just because of a person's decision to pick up a needle or a pill bottle, but it is because in the 1990’s doctors gave up on trying to treat patients for their overwhelming pain and discomfort, causing opioids to become over prescribed. Due to the carelessness of America, opioids are being distributed more and more everyday, causing the skyrocketing number of deaths.

In Nolan and Amico’s article, “How Bad is the Opioid Epidemic?” they argue the opioid epidemic has become the worst drug crisis in American history. Heroin and other opioids overdose kill more than 47,055 people a year. Deaths caused from drug overdose has outnumber as much as 40 percent compared to the death caused from car crashes in 2014 (Nolan and Amico 3). Furthermore, in 1999 there were only 15000 people died from drug overdose. This number has tripled in 15 years. Also, in his article, “America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse” Volkow also presents the fact that “with an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers in 2012 and an estimated 467,000 addicted to heroin. The consequences of this abuse have been devastating and are on the rise. For example, the number of unintentional overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers has

The opioid problem is big. The fact that multiple parties (FDA, Pharmacies, Doctors) are involved make the problem even more complex and difficult to fix. One of the best ways to begin helping the opioid crisis is within the FDA. The different types of opioids need to be re-tested to evaluate their necessity within our healthcare system. Too many readily available opioids are not beneficial. Next are doctors need to be taught to stand up again big pharmaceutical companies. These companies have their priority in profit, not patient care. Hopefully by implementing these factors, the opioid crisis can become a problem of the past.

The United States currently faces an unprecedented epidemic of opioid addiction. This includes painkillers, heroin, and other drugs made from the same base chemical. In the couple of years, approximately one out of twenty Americans reported misuse or abuse of prescriptions painkillers. Heroin abuse and overdoses are on the rise and are the leading cause of injury deaths, surpassing car accidents and gun shots. The current problem differs from the opioid addiction outbreaks of the past in that it is also predominant in the middle and affluent classes. Ultimately, anyone can be fighting a battle with addiction and it is important for family members and loved ones to know the signs. The cause for this epidemic is that the current spike of opioid abuse can be traced to two decades of increased prescription rates for painkillers by well-meaning physicians.

Opioids are painkillers, such as—morphine, methadone, Buprenorphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone ("What drugs are opioids?"). The opioid crisis is a national crisis that has caused 250,000 fatalities from 2000 to 2014. This crisis is a torrent of painkillers, black-market synthetic versions and heroin. A report from a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows more adults use prescription painkillers than cigarettes. Many experts have compared this crisis to the IIIV and AIDS epidemics because it has caused citizens to be cautious. Opioids have been a major discussions topic, which has caused many officials to brain-storm ways to prevent further complications.

The United States is currently going through an Opioid crisis, with thousands dying every year. This crisis affects public health as well as social and economic welfare, costing taxpayers billions of dollars a year.

As the United States struggles to deal with what’s been called the worst drug crisis in American history, its veterans have also been caught up in the opioid epidemic. About 60 percent of those returning from deployments in the Middle East, and 50 percent of older veterans suffer from chronic pain, according to Veterans Affairs officials. That’s compared to about 30 percent of Americans nationwide.

Opioids crisis is a crucial topic that has been a long lasting conversation within healthcare. Opioids are an opiumlike compound that binds to one or more of the three opioid receptors of the body. In much similar terms opioids are a class of that involve everything from heroin to legal prescription pain relievers.

This article discusses a crisis endangering millions of lives. The opioid crisis is a rising issue and what does the health ministry do about it? They sign a health deal for 1.4 billion dollars to address the opioid crisis. “Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott says the funding agreement with B.C. includes $785 million for better home care and more than $650 million for mental-health initiatives.” In my opinion this is a constructive move towards better overall health. As the health minister said “We are taking an approach that will protect lives and protect the health of communities.” When the government invests in health the return on investment pays off. Having a healthier population free of opioids means higher productivity and a higher quality of life for all. This is a federal issue because it tackles a nation-wide problem that

Opioid addiction rates are on rate s are on the rise and is creating a new sort of problems for children because when addicted parents are addicted, locked up, or going away for treatment. What happens to their children? This brings a whole new light to grandparents responsibilities and roles in a family. When children haven’t been formally removed from a home the grandparent who gets the call is left with two options come retrieve the child or they will go into foster care. Grandparents are faced with a difficult task, raising their grandchildren while their children are in jail, being treated, or dead from overdose. Grandparents are called upon to take care of their grandchildren with little resources, support, or warning. When the grandparent decides to take in their grandchild they become a different kind of caregiver neither parent nor grandparent it’s called kinship care. Formal kinship care provides legal guardianship, monetary government assistance, court appearances, visits from child protective services, or mandated caregiver training. That can be disrupting to a child and

What is the “Opioid Epidemic”? Why is it so dangerous? These are probably questions someone would ask if not educated on the epidemic.The Opioid Epidemic is a problem within North America that is ravaging thousands of homes and many communities with little to no answers to eradicate the problem.

Hilliard as well as the country, is being ravaged by the growing heroin epidemic. Heroin overdoses have become the leading cause of death in the United States, killing 43,000 people annually. Heroin has a devastating effect on the individuals, and families of this community. Leaders are few and far between in Hilliard, and I believe that with enough leaders, heroin can be overcome through effective and intentional leadership. Leaders who care will help this community by helping heal the relationships between the addict and their family and community. I believe if this community stands up, not only can we rehabilitate addicts but heal this community with practices discovered in the Rat Park experiment.

This epidemic emerged when undertrained physicians and doctors considered prescription opioids as the primary method of solving a nationwide problem, Chronic Pain. Educating clinicians about the proper treatment for chronic pain and signs of addiction will reduce rates of dependency, overdosing, and deaths. This epidemic has affected me personally and it is why I chose to investigate a solution. When I was in high school prescription opioids were the craze, students I knew would pop, crush and snort pills in between classes and most of them, including myself, had no clue of the dangers that came with misusing prescription opioids. Eventually, most of them struggled to feel the same or reach the same high as they once had. Shortly after, heroin became the new drug of choice in my hometown and right as that happened, I started losing touch with many people I once knew. I was young and I didn’t want any part of what they were doing so I tried to avoid interactions with that crowd. At 16 years old, I had already been to funerals for 3 different friends that died from an overdose. Had I known more, I may have been able to reach out and help one of them. Prescription opioids help patients treat pain, however they also ruin people’s lives. Do you know people in your life that are stuck in a cycle of dependency and addiction at risk? Don’t wait and make the same mistake as I had. Direct those in need to the

*In today’s world people are selling opioids as if though they were selling pizza if you call they will deliver.