The American Psychiatric Association 's Dsm V ( 2013 )

Tennessee is one of the states hit hardest by the nation’s opioid epidemic which began about 20 years ago and had a stark increase since 2009, now reaching unprecedented levels across the county with a 200% increase in the rate of deaths involving opioids (Rudd, Aleshire, Zibbell, & Gladden, 2016; Fletcher, 2016). In Tennessee specifically, it is estimated that about 1 in 6 abuse opioids; the CDC estimates that for every one person who dies from an opioid overdose in Tennessee there are 851 others in the state who are in various stages of their abuse, misuse, and treatment; and the most recent statistics show that opioid overdoses alone make up about 7.7% of deaths in Tennessee, making them responsible for more deaths than car accidents in the state (Botticelli, 2016; Rudd, Aleshire, Zibbell, & Gladden, 2016; Fletcher, 2016; ONDCP, 2016; Thompson, 2016).

Opioid use in the US has increased over the years, and this has led to an increase in substance abuse. Substance abuse is not only associated with use of illicit drugs but also prescription drugs. In 2015, of the 20.5 million reported cases of substance abuse, 2 million had an abuse disorder related to prescription pain relievers and 591,000 associated with heroin.1 The increase in substance abuse disorder has led to an increase in opioid related death. In 2015 drug overdose was the leading cause of accidental death in the US with 52, 404 lethal drug overdoses.2

Heroin and opioids have grown in appearance in communities. Since, 2008 in Allegheny County alone there was more than two thousand overdose deaths, with one hundred-seventy-seven deaths in this year alone (Pennsylvania). Furthermore, in 2015 there was only one -hundred-twenty-six;

Last year there were over 64,000 reported opioid-related deaths in the United States – making it the leading cause of accidental death in people under the age of 50 in this country (Katz). Opioids, also referred to as painkillers, have become a growing problem over the past two decades particularly in rural communities all across the country where the death rates are higher per capita compared to the death rate in cities (“America’s Opioid Epidemic is Worsening”). These narcotics, such as codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone are extremely addictive and, as a result, this silent killer has quadrupled the overdose death toll since 1999

Opioid drugs are some of the most widespread pain medications that we have in this country; indeed, the fact is that opioid analgesic prescriptions have increased by over 300% from 1999 to 2010 (Mitch 989). Consequently, the number of deaths from overdose increased from 4000 to 16,600 a year in the same time frame (Mitch 989). This fact becomes even more frightening when you think about today; the annual number of fatal drug overdoses in the Unites States now surpasses that of motor vehicle deaths (Alexander 1865). Even worse, overdose deaths caused by opioids specifically exceed those attributed to both cocaine and heroin combined (Alexander 1865).

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

Antwone Fisher is a character who is very hostile and antisocial. He feels alone and confused by previous events that occurred during his childhood. Fisher is very withdrawn, unforgiving, and apprehensive. The constant battle of flashbacks denoting verbal, physical, and sexual abuse frequently interferes with his everyday life. The diagnostic criteria for post traumatic stress disorder explain the details of Antwone’s life in its entirety. Antwone meets the following criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition: “Directly experiences a traumatic event, experiences extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event, recurrent, involuntary distressive memories” (271).

Various levels of governments in different communities across North America have initiated programs to deal with the opioid epidemic and its effect. Some of these initiatives will be examined in more details below.

Many people may not realize this but multiple states, including Michigan, are facing an epidemic. It is not a disease, however, it is a heroin epidemic. In a country where addictive opioid pain-killer prescriptions are handed out like candy, it not surprising heroin, also known as smack or thunder, has become a serious problem. The current heroin epidemic Michigan is facing, as are dozens of other states, has spiraled out of control in recent years. In Michigan, some of the areas hit hardest by this drug are in the southern portion of the state, like Wayne, Oakland, and Monroe Counties. The connection between painkillers and heroin may not be clear, but this is because both are classified as opioid drugs, and therefore cause many of the same positive and negative side effects. As a country, we are currently the largest consumer of opioids in the world; almost the entire world supply of hydrocodone (the opioid in Vicodin) and 81% of the world’s oxycodone (in Percocet and OxyContin) is used by the United States (Volkow). Along with consuming most of the world’s most common opioids, we have gone from 76 million of these prescriptions in 1991 to 207 million in 2013 – constantly increasing except for a small decrease starting in 2012 (Volkow). This widespread use has caused numerous consequences from increasing emergency room visits – for both painkillers and heroin – to sky-rocking overdose cases all over the country (Volkow). Michigan, unfortunately, currently has one of the

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.

In Florida alone, thousands of Americans die every year due to the struggles of opioid addiction. According to Becker’s Hospital Review 1,399 (Rappleye) Floridians die each year from prescription or heroin overdose. Many families are affected by opioid

On June 6, 2017 Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in the state of Arizona (Vestal, C. 2017, June 6). Since 2012 there has been a 74% increase in opioid overdoses and deaths; this equals about 2 opioid overdose deaths per day in Arizona (Vestal, C. 2017, June 6). 431 million opioid pills were prescribed in Arizona in 2016 enough for every Arizonan to have a 2.5 week supply of opioid pills (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2017). The “U.S. is only 5% of the world’s population however we consume more than 80% of the worlds opioid supply” (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2017). In 2011 opioids made $11 billion in profits for pharmaceutical businesses (Eban, 2011)

According to research by Dart et al, there has been an increase in the number of opioid-related deaths since 2010 and their research mapped

In 2017, up to November 11th, 580 emergency calls were placed regarding opioid-related overdoses in the Waterloo Region (1). Thus, the running total of calls in 2017 as of November 11th is already one-hundred and fifteen percent of the total calls for the 2016 year (1). From the year 2012, opiate-related overdose calls have raised three-hundred percent (1). Consequently, the issue of opiate overdose is clearly an important one.

New Hampshire has attained a high rate of opioid prescriptions for patients who are dealing with chronic pain. The problem with New Hampshire is the lack of funding that is going towards drug treatment and prevention. Also, “the state’s rural environment encourages the dispersion of opioids drugs due to the fact there are such small communities where drugs have become a social phenomenon.” (Leins 23). As of July 2017, 214 people have died of drug-related deaths within the first six months of this year (NH1 7). Those numbers have decreased a little since last year. In order to resolve this issue that is going on in our state, there has to be more money going towards treatment and prevention. Eric Adam, a Laconia Police officer, is approaching this situation in such a way, many police officers should take notes of what he is doing.