We Must Stop The Opiate Addiction

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.

Heroin addiction is one of the leading killers of adolescents and adults in the United States. In recent years, addiction has skyrocketed, and “the rate of heroin-related overdose deaths increased by 286 percent between 2002 and 2013.” In 2002, “100 people per 100,000 were addicted to heroin, and that number has doubled by 2013” (The National Institute on Drug Abuse 2013). The most affected populations include low income males, adolescents, and those who have a family history of addiction, due to their increased susceptibility and crime-ridden environment. While it may seem as though heroin addiction is “just another drug problem” in the U.S., it is actually a problem of major public health importance because there are numerous physical, economic, and social risks associated with heroin dependence. Heroin dependence in the United States accounts for brain damage, increased homelessness, crime, and incarceration rates, as well as economic decline.

The opioid epidemic is not an issue that can be solved in a timely manner. Solving this world issue has to be accompanied by cooperation from addicts and their supporters. This epidemic hits home with a surrounding town ranked 5th in the nation for opioid abuse. With that said, the hope is within the coming years, the epidemic can be resolved and people’s lives can be

In the United States, there has been upward swing of opioid abuse over the past decade. Overdose deaths involving opioids – both prescription pain relievers and heroin – almost quadrupled between 1999 and 2014. Well-intentioned efforts to curb prescription opioid abuse have yielded new policies with unfortunate, unforeseen consequences for the 15% of the US population that suffer from chronic pain – nearly 45 million people.

The opioid epidemic that has taken over the United States is likely the largest public health crisis that our country has faced in the 21st century. It has torn countless families and small rural communities apart in its wake, and does not currently show signs of slowing down anytime in the near future. In the last couple decades, the United States’ government has addressed the epidemic as a criminal problem. Treating those affected by the opioid crisis like criminals has not yielded positive results overall. For some time, the public opinion has predominantly been that this epidemic should not be blamed on anyone other than those who take these opioids, and that it is their own personal downfalls and bad judgement that is responsible for their specific situation. While opioid abusers certainly deserve some accountability for their actions, there is abundant evidence of greater forces at work that have a lot of influence on their decisions.

Nonmedical Prescription-Opioid abuse in the United States and Michigan has continued to rise, and with it, the devastating results that accompany it. Research has shown that increased opioid abuse leads to an increase in overdose and death, increases in crime and increased incidences of costly blood borne diseases like HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis. It also leads to increased societal costs, such as an increasing number of children in foster care and increased healthcare, workplace and criminal justice costs that can decimate communities and local budgets. Many communities were caught with their heads in the sand, as they were overwhelmed by the influx of prescription opioids into their communities. When policies were finally implemented to curb the amount of prescription opioids in their communities, rates of heroin use (also an opioid) began to skyrocket and people began realizing they had an opioid epidemic on their hands. How to combat this heroin epidemic has been the topic of many debates. This article will attempt to examine the relationship of nonmedical prescription-opioid abuse and its effects on heroin use.

In the US, according to CQ Researcher, the number of those that used heroin had more than doubled between the years of 2002 and 2004 and doubled again between 2011 and 2013. It is a growing issue especially due to

Does anyone you know and or love currently struggle with opioid addiction? Have you witnessed the loss of a life due to opioid addiction? Opioid addiction is a major issue we are all facing the United States either directly or indirectly. The opioid epidemic has continued to grow yearly, and shows no real solutions in the trend of it slowing down or it coming to an end. Doctors are well aware of this information and are working to reduce the number of opioid abuse cases created at the source. There are options available to addicts including but not limited to inpatient rehabilitation programs, detoxification programs/facilities, and outpatient counseling support. These options cost a significant amount of money, unaffordable to most addicts,

Today the recent growth of prescription opioid painkillers has made opiate use far more domesticated and widespread than ever before.  Even though heroin use has declined, the use of prescription opiates has increased. The use of prescription opiates for people who are dependent on the drugs for pain reduction has lead to an increase in abuse. When a family member or friend begins taking the drugs, not because they need them, but because they want to feeling, it becomes an addiction. Even though an addict is dependent on opiates, a person who is opiate-dependent is different because of the psychological, physical, and financial effects.

Prescription opioid misuse has emerged as a significant public health issue in the United States. Since the late 1990s, nationwide sales of prescription opioids have risen 4-fold, and with this, the rate of admissions for substance use treatment and the rate of death from opioid overdose have grown proportionately.1

The social effects of opiate addiction are felt by those who may have never even seen more than an image of heroin. For example; “In an early study, for example, Inciardi reported that a cohort of 239 male heroin addicts from Miami committed 80,644 criminal acts during the 12 months before being interviewed (Inciardi, 1979).”. (Strain and Stitzer, 2006) In part, this is due to the problems associated with the severe withdrawal symptoms that begin about 18 hours after the last use, and the result that addicts will do almost anything to avoid them. These include sweating, vomiting, insomnia, cold sweats, pain in the limbs, yawning, sneezing, severe bone and muscle aches, diarrhea, stomach cramps

Modern day America is plagued by a surplus of tragedy, most may have seen viral videos of these “zombies” slumped in cars or streets and yet it continues. In fact, this terrifying epidemic was created by drugs that were intended for pain relief, Opioids. This includes prescription pain relievers like oxycodone, morphine, methadone, and hydrocodone. Ironically, the well-known street drug, Heroin, is one of the most serious offenders of the Opioid crisis (Anderson). With each day, more mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers are witnessing and losing loved ones from overdoses, which is why the focus of society absolutely needs to be on a path of action towards the rising deaths, excessive prescriptions and governmental influences in opioid addiction.

The problem with opioids as a sole source of relief is that not only are they physically and psychologically addictive, but the user also begins to build a tolerance to the therapeutic effects. Eventually one requires higher doses in order to achieve the initial levels of pain relief. As the dose increases, so does the level of dependency and addiction. If a doctor refuses to increase the dose for the patient’s safety, the pain returns and patient may begin to feel the effects of opiate withdrawal. In worst-case scenarios people begin to abuse alcohol or seek out prescription pain medication illegally. Illicit and less expensive street drugs are often sought out if the afflicted can no longer afford their medications or cannot find a source of pain and addiction relief anywhere else. Purchase of street drugs becomes common when addiction begins to affect someone’s ability to keep a steady source of income. As a result, there has been a surge of opioid, heroin, and alcohol abuse and eventual overdose. (Dart, et al., 2015)

On October 27, 2017, Dr. Arlether Wilson, PhD., contributing author for the Huffington Post, published the article titled “Opiate Addiction in an Ongoing Crisis in America” which states that Walgreens is going to start stocking Narcan over the counter, which is an opiate reversing drug. It is no mystery that opiate addiction is out of control and a major epidemic in our country. The article also states, “According to The British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 15-21 million people are addicted to opiates and 91 abusers die every day” (Wilson, 2017). Unfortunately, opiate addiction spreads across every social and economic demographic and no age, gender, or race is immune to its addictive nature.

Becoming addicted to drugs is a tragic thing to happen to anybody. These people need help as soon as possible, because doing drugs can kill you, whether from overdose or having a fatal accident while they are high. Thankfully there are many things that can be done to help drug addicts. Supporting them is key, “ Recovering from drug addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance”. (Robinson, Smith, Saison, 2013). The first thing that you should is to speak up, and tell them your concerns about them. You need to avoid being judgmental, because becoming an addict can happen