Contributed Post
In case you hadn’t noticed, America is suffering from an enormous upsurge in heroin and opiate-related deaths. It’s scary stuff, and reaching epidemic proportions. Cases of overdoses are on the increase, and more drugs are flooding the black market. Donald Trump thinks he can solve the problem by building his wall. Hillary Clinton is going to throw $10 billion at the issue and hope it goes away. And the nation’s police forces are, once again, tackling the problem by trying to throw everyone in jail. The trouble is, these aren’t even the scariest facts – you’ll need to read on to find out those
The volume of people overdosing
According to the CDC, opiate overdoses have quadrupled since 1999. And during 2014 alone, nearly 30,000 people died from an opioid overdose. The report also states that at least half of those deaths were due to prescription drugs – more on that in a second. Finally, for the first time, America is home to more drug deaths than car crashes – a sad and astonishing statistic.
The volume of people overdosing on prescription
When you consider doctors prescribe enough opioids to give every adult a bottle of pills, it’s no surprise deaths are on the increase. There are solutions – like the Canadian idea of prescribing small amounts of heroin to chronic dependents. But this might cause a bigger problem. It’s ammunition for everyone that says endorsing the use of drugs isn’t helping people break their addictions. And they will be demanding a return to the old way of doing things with methadone clinics.
The pathway from prescription to needle
The vast majority of heroin addicts begin their habit by switching from prescription opioids. And of those that are prescribed opiates, few ever suffer from addiction problems. So, while the facts point to drugs on prescription, it’s the heroin issue that is the main factor in overdoses. Too many people are getting hold of prescriptions and then moving up the ladder, straight into the arms of the White Lady. And, as everyone knows, she has a welcoming but firm grasp and is not good relationship material. Those looking to release themselves from her grip may want to look towards addiction treatment like that offered by Enterhealth (https://enterhealth.com) to help them turn their lives around.
The arrests of people with diseases
The uncomfortable truth for many people is that addiction is a disease – nothing more, nothing less. And when epidemics like this occur, it often leads to the arrest and criminalization of thousands of people. As any drug crimes lawyer will tell you, a conviction for drugs can lead to a lifetime record, and limit people’s opportunities in life. The result? The likelihood is that by banging people up in jail, we will be feeding the cycle of addiction even further. The only option is to treat people as patients, not criminals. It gives them the help they need while freeing up police time to concentrate on the dealers and supply chains.
The cost of Naloxone
Naloxone is a nasal spray that blocks the effects of an opioid overdose. In other words, it helps people avoid death. But there’s a problem of cost, here. Ten years ago, Naloxone was on sale for a dollar a pop. A year ago it cost $20. Now? It’s $40 a pop, in true, Big Pharma fashion.
Any thoughts on the current epidemic sweeping through the States? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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