...Identification of the Problem: Opioid Epidemic in the United States: A Public Health Problem The opioid epidemic occurring in the United States is one of the most widespread public health problems facing the nation today. The use of prescription opioids, a pain reliever, has increased fourfold since 1991, equating to an additional 140 million opioid prescriptions being prescribed in 2013 than in 1991 [1, 5]. Furthermore, the sale of prescription opioids in hospitals, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices has risen 300% since 1999 [7, 13]. This has led to a windfall for pharmaceuticals, as OxyContin, an opioid led to 3.1 billion dollars in sales in 2010 [28]. Thus is due to the fact that the United States alone consumes 80% of the worlds opioid...
Words: 1203 - Pages: 5
...Prescription Opioids Deanna Pannell Aurora University One of the growing problems in America is the abuse of prescription opioids. In the past 10 years, the misuse of prescribed opioids has gone out of control, making it a national issue that many people are attempting to attack. Prescription opioid use is increasing in public health, creating an epidemic that is growing rapidly. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse: opiates, depressants, and stimulants are the three drug classifications most commonly abused by Americans. A multitude of research on the subject has concluded that there is more than a single solution to the problem, such as taking immediate action as well as creating prevention strategies. I decided to do additional research on this topic since it plays a huge part in my career as well as personal life. Being a substance abuse counselor in the criminal justice field, I experience first-hand the effects of prescription opioid abuse. A large number of client’s participating in the TASC (Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities) are dealing with prescription opioid abuse due to an injury or surgical procedure. On April 25, 2015, my first cousin died from a heroin overdose at the age of 23. After a football injury, he was prescribed Hydrocodone and became addicted. Since the pills are too expensive, he began using heroin and his battle ended 5 years later. In 2009, 16 million Americans age 12 and older reported taking a prescription pain reliever...
Words: 1472 - Pages: 6
...The opioid epidemic has been a growing issue in America, referring to the increased use and dependence of opioid prescriptions. Opioids are strong pain-killers and in recent years, they have been abused for recreational use. In Molly Jeffery’s research, “Opioid Prescribing for Opioid-Naive Patients in Emergency Departments and Other Settings: Characteristics of Prescriptions and Association with Long-Term Use,” it compares opioid prescriptions in the Emergency Department to other clinical settings to see which patients are more likely to become long term users. The objective of this research was to observe the relationship between opioid prescriptions in the Emergency Department and their risk of current use, which can be used as a precaution...
Words: 1434 - Pages: 6
...in the New England Journal of Medicine would start to change everything. The letter insisted that addiction to these new drugs was rare, especially in those with no prior history of addiction. Slowly, physicians started prescribing more and more synthetic opioids to their patients, especially those looking to avoid riskier orthopedic surgeries for their chronic pain and those suffering from terminal illnesses. Medical professionals were able to feel good about their ability to help their patients avoid surgery and help them effectively (some for the first time) manage chronic pain. In the 90s, everything changed. There was a swift shift (fueled in a big way by pharmaceutical companies) away from the tentative, opioid-shy opinions of past medical professionals. A new way of thinking emerged in which managing pain became the first focus of treatment. The pain scale illustrations that we have all seen in countless doctor’s offices were produced and used as a first line of questioning in all emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, and doctor’s offices. OxyContin, thought by many to be the drug that started it all in regards to the current opioid...
Words: 1874 - Pages: 8
...Heroin Addiction Psyc 305 B-03 June 15, 2015 Abstract: This paper will serve to provide information about heroin addiction in our society. Heroin addiction is an epidemic problem in the United States and is growing every year. Factors such as genetics and environmental factors will be discussed as they relate to heroin addicts. Trends with prescription pain medication and their effects on heroin use will be discussed. This paper will also highlight the prevalence of heroin in the United States. Heroin affects different groups of people in all walks of life. Treatment for heroin will be discussed in the latter portion of this paper. This will highlight different options to fit specific needs. Addiction: a physical dependency on a substance (Doweiko, 2015), a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences, (Addiction, 2015). There is no universally accepted way to define addiction. It seems that it is easier to qualify behavior as an addiction than it is to define the word itself. For the purpose of this paper we will use the four general categories of the DSM-5 to help identify and understand heroin addiction. This paper will serve to provide information about heroin addiction’s possible causes, prevalence and treatment. What causes heroin addiction? The causes of heroin addiction are not clear. As with most drugs it is thought that the user is trying to feel better or self-medicate...
Words: 1591 - Pages: 7
...In this paper I am going to argue why Marijuana has medical usage and the benefits of having it legalized for that purpose. Does marijuana have any medicinal use? Quite a few say yes marijuana does have medical use and yes it should be made legal for that purpose. The people that think this way are correct marijuana does have medical use. It has been used as medicine since 2727 B.C. were the first recorded use of cannabis as medicine in Chinese pharmacopoeia but not only was it used in China but every part of the world. Humankind has used cannabis for a wide variety of health problems for not just centuries but over a millennium. But there are still people who deny that marijuana had medical use. These people who are wrong marijuana does have medical use. They also have their own scientific studies...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4
...The opioid crisis has reached a fever pitch as Surgeon General Jerome Adams is on the record stating,"The call to action is to … keep within reach, know how to use naloxone.” on NPR’s Morning Edition. By issuing this advisory for more people to become familiar with the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone, the Surgeon General is acknowledging the fact that in many parts of the country use of Naloxone by first responders has become as ubiquitous as providing CPR. When considering pseudoscience, particularly C.P Snow’s focus the “gulf of mutual incomprehension” between the humanities and sciences, there is no better current example than how pharmaceutical marketing lead to the misinformation about opioid addictiveness, overprescription opioids, and...
Words: 1381 - Pages: 6
...Significance Telehealth is vital to those in need of substance abuse treatment. It is estimated that 90 Americans die each day due to an overdose of opioid use. There has been an uptrend of misuse and addictions of opioids which includes prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids. This is considered a national crisis that is having a major impact on public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions has estimated that the economic burden to the United States of opioid misuse is $78.5 billion a year. This estimation includes the cost of healthcare, treatments, and the criminal justice involvement (National Institutes of Health, 2018). This is one of the reasons why it is of great importance to get treatment...
Words: 712 - Pages: 3
...Prescription medication abuse In this research paper you will find that obtaining prescription medication is easier than going to find illegal drugs. Another, disturbing problem is the amount of deaths in the United States each year caused by the abuse of prescription medication. Some questions you might find yourself asking are why is this a problem, how can we resolve this problem, what are some long term effects from abuse of prescription medication, and what is the government planning to do to help resolve this issue? In recent years the abuse with prescription medications has come to a ridiculous number in the last decade across the world. I hope this paper helps you understand the significance of this worldwide problem. What is prescription medication abuse? Prescription medication abuse is when someone takes medication prescribed by doctor in a manner or dosage other than prescribed, or when someone takes prescription medication from somebody else and uses it in a manner or dosage other than prescribed (na, 2011). Abuse can include taking a friends or relatives’ prescription to get high, to relieve pain, or help with medical issue without seeing a physician. There is a reason why prescription medications are prescribed by a doctor, prescription medications are dangerous when taken with other medications or not taken properly. In many cases this may cause severe illness or even death. The most common abused medication is opioids. Opioids include pain relievers such as:...
Words: 1635 - Pages: 7
...As one prescription drug abuser in his early 20’s explained: Once people (pill brokers) know you take them prescription opioids, they’ll start calling you. “Oh, it’s this time of the month.” Then they wait for that person to get their script. They know exactly in their head what day the script’s getting ready to come so they got the patterns down. Pill brokers and dealers reported congregating in open air drug markets typically strip mall and pharmacy parking lots, and outside methadone clinics to buy, sell, and trade prescription drugs. These markets were reported to involve a variety of transactions, including the purchase of prescription drugs for cash, as well as trades for crack and heroin. Pill brokers also reported the purchase of used fentanyl patches from nurses who have stolen them from pain patients or from disposal containers in hospitals. Some individuals frequenting the drug markets also barter their oxycodone for other opioids or benzodiazepines, typically alprazolam. Doctor Shopping focus group participants indicated that even in a small state like Delaware, doctor shopping appeared to be fairly easy. The vast majority of abusers reported obtaining medications through doctor shopping, and most reported frequenting at least four physicians in order to obtain sufficient amounts of their desired medications. Occasionally clinics and hospital emergency rooms were reported as locations for doctor shopping as well. A heavy user stated: Another focus group member...
Words: 3476 - Pages: 14
...IHR 1 Methadone: The Introduction of Harm Reduction IHR 2 As I began thinking about what topic covers a multitude of citizens and is a significant issue and problem that affects the justice system here in the United States, almost automatically I was drawn to my deep passion for recovery based solutions to drug and alcohol addictions. I have found my experiences in recovery, to repeatedly be surrounded with the pain of those whom have suffered and are still suffering from effects of their addiction(s). Many addictions have grown out of the same medications that when used properly, provided the relief sought to provide pain maintenance and therefore relief of such pain. I firmly believe that without some form of spiritual maintenance, recovery- both physical and mentally- is an endless merry go-round of medical doctors and drug dealers. As a recovering addict/alcoholic myself, my daily walk exposes me to the ever increasing ideology, of not only addicts, but the public at large, to the thought process of finding relief for every day undesirable thought and undesirable actions (according to some), to be the quick fix, which historically has been called the “magic pill” or “magical elixir” cure. In the near future, I plan to be a recovery counselor and placement specialist. I hope to be able to provide some experience based direction, on the path of recovery, to those whom still suffer. I felt the need to understand not only the options being provided for said addictions...
Words: 2769 - Pages: 12
...alarming revelation that “15 percent of U.S. servicemen in Vietnam… were actively addicted to heroin” (Spiegel, 2012, para. 3). The idea that American servicemen were addicted to such a horrible drug disgusted much of the American public. “It was thought to be the most addictive substance ever produced, a narcotic so powerful that once addiction claimed you, it was nearly impossible to escape” (Spiegel, 2012, para. 4). President Richard Nixon took swift action by creating, The Special Action Office of Drug Abuse Prevention which concentrated primarily on prevention and rehabilitation. In the late 70s and early 80s the use of heroin reached its peak when it seemed to take a backseat to the reappearance of cocaine and the subsequent crack epidemic that overwhelmed much of the United States throughout the 1990s. Although the use of heroin seemed to disappear throughout much of the U.S., it was still able to become entrenched in the everyday lives of addicts in American cities such as Baltimore. Baltimore City, in particular, has been adversely affected by the public health problem of heroin addiction so much so that it is has become best known as the...
Words: 3488 - Pages: 14
...| New York City | Effective | 8 August 1975 [1] | Condition | 40 ratifications | Parties | 185[1] | Depositary | Secretary-General of the United Nations | Languages | Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish | Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs at Wikisource | The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 is an international treaty to prohibit production and supply of specific (nominally narcotic) drugs and of drugs with similar effects except under licence for specific purposes, such as medical treatment and research. As noted below, its major effects included updating the Paris Convention of 13 July 1931 to include the vast number of synthetic opioids invented in the intervening thirty years and a mechanism for more easily including new ones. From 1931 to 1961, most of the families of synthetic opioids had been developed, including drugs in whatever way related to methadone, pethidine, morphinans and dextromoramide and related drugs; research on fentanyls and piritramide was also nearing fruition at that point. Earlier treaties had only controlled opium, coca, and derivatives such as morphine, heroin and cocaine. The Single Convention, adopted in 1961, consolidated those treaties and...
Words: 28067 - Pages: 113
...10 Combination HIV Prevention: Tailoring and Coordinating Biomedical, Behavioural and Structural Strategies to Reduce New HIV Infections A UNAIDS Discussion Paper UNAIDS – JC2007 (English original, September 2010) © Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2010. All rights reserved. Publications produced by UNAIDS can be obtained from the UNAIDS Content Management Team. Requests for permission to reproduce or translate UNAIDS publications—whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution— should also be addressed to the Content Management Team at the address below, or by fax, at +41 22 791 4835, or e-mail: publicationpermissions@unaids.org. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNAIDS concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by UNAIDS in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by UNAIDS to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any...
Words: 15099 - Pages: 61
...Legalizing Marijuana makes Pennsylvanians Rich Introduction Growing up on the gritty streets of West Philadelphia I was exposed to many drugs. From an early age I can remember seeing guys hang out on the corner. It wasn’t until I became a preteen that I realized that these young men weren’t just “hanging out”. They were actually hustling and making drug transactions. In high school I was offered my joint. Scared of my parents finding out and remembering the negative effects of drugs that I learned about in school forced me to decline. Many of my peers were not as strong and fell into peer pressure. The smell of marijuana on the way to school became a familiar scent. As I got older and began to explore the City of Brotherly Love I learned that Philly is drug infested. I’ve met a lot of good people who have fallen into addiction. Their drug usage impedes their everyday life. I have a friend who I went to high school with. My friend was a top athlete and scholar. After a terrible car accident he developed an addiction to prescription pain killers. He ran from doctor to doctor trying to keep his fix alive. The process lingered on for a couple years, One day I asked him why he didn’t get help or try to stop. His main argument was that he wasn’t doing anything illegal like crack or heroine, so he didn’t think he had a problem. His argument got me thinking about the government and how they dictate what medications are okay and not okay for people...
Words: 3874 - Pages: 16
