Today I want to continue the blog from March.
To recap: My family lost a vital young man to a terrible epidemic that is raging across America.
Heroin/Opioid Addiction.
If you pay attention to the news, there has been some chatter about it. My favorite news man, Scott Pelley (don't know why, I just like him) has presented several pieces about this horrible epidemic.
Did you see the segment where there are lines down the street in West Virginia? You may think - "well that is legal" or "the doctor's are prescribing so it must be ok" or "what does that have to do with heroin addiction.
I did a little research:
94% of respondents in a 2014 survey of people in treatment
for opioid addiction said they chose to use heroin because prescription opioids
were “far more expensive and harder to obtain.”
Of the 21.5 million Americans 12 ( YES 12) or older that had a substance use problem in 2014, 1.9 million were abusing prescription pain relievers and 586,000 were abusing heroin.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in
the US, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving
this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain
relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.
In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids,
which is more than enough to give every American adult their own bottle of
pills. (Wow!)
In 2014, about 28,000 adolescents had used heroin in the past year. An estimated 16,000 were currently using.
(info from: CDC, National Institute of Health - National Institute on Drug Abuse, CBS news,)
Very disturbing.
I will admit that I have watched those segments on this problem and thought to myself, "oh that is terrible" then gone about my business.
I guess it takes something more personal to drive the point home. Like the loss of a family member.
The question remains - What can be done?
On a larger level I know that rescue squads/fire departments and even law enforcement officers are carrying naloxone which is a drug that can reverse the effects of opioids.
Drug addiction is a preventable disease. Results from NIDA- funded research have shown that prevention programs that involve families, schools, communities and the media are being effective in reducing drug abuse.
PREVENT; Hold medical professionals accountable. Reduce the amount of opioids prescribed.
REDUCE: Make treatment programs more accessable.
REVERSE: Make naloxone more available in order to reverse drug overdoses when given in time.
I havent figured out my part yet... I am working on it. Maybe this little blog is a beginning.
Awareness is key.
The thing is... this epidemic crosses all socio economic and cultural boundaries. It is widespread and could even include your child, parent, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece.... you get my drift....
Blackie and Sammy.. Lazy days of summer in the Rocky Mountains
