Prof Double R

1

The opioid epidemic

The opioid crisis did not just happen all at once. It gradually emerged over the years through high rates of prescription drug use, aggressive pharmaceutical marketing, and the false notion that prescription opioids were not highly addictive. The drugs were initially prescribed to aid recovery after surgery, major injuries, or chronic pain. For many patients they did. However, dependency became more prevalent over time and when prescriptions were more difficult to obtain, people sometimes resorted to taking illegal drugs, such as heroin and fentanyl (Lim et al., 2022). That was a major shift that exacerbated what was already a serious issue.

The effects go well beyond those who use opioids. Families lose loved ones, children are left without parents, and entire neighborhoods are weighed down by addiction. Opioid-related emergencies occur daily, and hospitals, emergency rooms, treatment centers, and law enforcement agencies are severely strained as a result (Volkow & Blanco, 2021). It is one of those things that, like a stone thrown into a pool of water, make ripples that reach out to virtually everyone in some way. Employers too are effected due to loss of work, reduced productivity, and increased health care costs. It keeps expanding.

Various populations are impacted. Sometimes individuals with chronic pain have a hard time because they truly require medication, but must now adhere to tighter guidelines for prescribing it. People struggling with opioid use disorder not only have to confront opioid addiction but also stigma, which can discourage them from seeking treatment (Volkow & Blanco, 2021). Healthcare workers may see repeated overdoses which create emotional trauma; and families experience stress, grief, and uncertainty. The crisis is very real, and in recent years, communities across United States have reported record numbers of overdose deaths, many of which have been caused by illegally manufactured fentanyl (Lim et al., 2022).

The public opinion of the opioid crisis is divided, with an increasing view that addiction is not solely a crime, but an issue that needs to be addressed as a health problem. A significant number of people call for universal access to rehabilitation programs, mental health services, and medications to help people recover (Lim et al., 2022). Others feel that tougher law enforcement measures and stiffer penalties are needed in order to cut down on illegal drug supplies. These varying perspectives have given rise to a debate on how to respond. There is also debate about the responsibility of pharmaceutical firms in distributing these drugs. I believe both compassion and accountability are needed if we want to create long term improvement because if we address one side of the problem, we leave a lot of people behind.

References

Lim, T. Y., Stringfellow, E. J., Stafford, C. A., DiGennaro, C., Homer, J. B., Wakeland, W., ... & Jalali, M. S. (2022). Modeling the evolution of the US opioid crisis for national policy development.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  119(23), e2115714119.

Volkow, N. D., & Blanco, C. (2021). The changing opioid crisis: development, challenges and opportunities.  Molecular psychiatry,  26(1), 218-233.