Drug overdoses in US a 'public health emergency'
- 8 years ago
An ambulance rushing to save a drug user is a common sight in Baltimore, Maryland. Over the past decade, the number of opioid overdoses has quadrupled in the US. Like countless other cities, Baltimore has been struggling with crack,heroin and opioid addiction for decades.
10x increase in # of Fentanyl deaths in Baltimore. So many, couldn’t clear the bodies. – Dr. Leana Wen #coveringopioids— Kelly McBride (@kellymcb) September 26, 2016
The causes
Widespread unemployment, poor housing and poverty have played their part in the crisis but the soaring cost of health care coupled with aggressive marketing from Pharmaceutical companies are making opioid addiction a public health emergency.
THIS. Why ConsumerReports has to exist. How does one medication cost $11 at one store and $137 at another? pic.twitter.com/MkBrg6hIya— Leana Wen, M.D. (DrLeanaWen) October 13, 2016
Colorado AG sues drug companies for “preying on patients in need of help” with opioid addiction https://t.co/0qM8UYC5d8 via KDVR— peter grinspoon (Peter_Grinspoon) October 8, 2016
Leana Wen, the Baltimore Health Commissioner told Euronews: “Unfortunately, there is an epidemic of over-proscribing of opioids happening, incidentally that in the US there are enough prescriptions for opioids that are given every year for every adult American to have their own bottle. Americans are five percent of the world’s population and over 80 percent of prescriptions of the world’s opioids. Do we really need so many opioids? The answer of course is not.”
Lack of political will
Though not on the top of the agenda in this years presidential election, many voters in New Hampshire and the swing state of Ohio, have said opioid-addiction is the number one problem facing the country.
Over the past 20 years, the liberalisation of laws governing opioid prescription for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain has helped lead the US head first into this crisis.
Policing the crisis
Mark Sheelor, Montgomery County Police officer explained: “We are trying to look at low-level offenses, things such as disorderly conduct or minor theft cases where substance use is the primary factor that is causing those people to commit the crimes that they are committing and trying to divert them away from the (criminal justice) system by getting them help.”
Deadly assumptions
The over-prescription of opioids often comes with the dangerous assumption that they are highly effective and safe, when prescribed by physicians. The opposite is true. Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of injury death in the US. 128 people die from overdoses of pharmaceutical drugs, opioids and heroine each day.
Michael Krafft, a recovering drug addict told Euronews: “Some of these drugs are so powerful-the way out is so scary because of the pain you have to go through that most won’t attempt it. There are people in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous that have managed to stay clean fo
10x increase in # of Fentanyl deaths in Baltimore. So many, couldn’t clear the bodies. – Dr. Leana Wen #coveringopioids— Kelly McBride (@kellymcb) September 26, 2016
The causes
Widespread unemployment, poor housing and poverty have played their part in the crisis but the soaring cost of health care coupled with aggressive marketing from Pharmaceutical companies are making opioid addiction a public health emergency.
THIS. Why ConsumerReports has to exist. How does one medication cost $11 at one store and $137 at another? pic.twitter.com/MkBrg6hIya— Leana Wen, M.D. (DrLeanaWen) October 13, 2016
Colorado AG sues drug companies for “preying on patients in need of help” with opioid addiction https://t.co/0qM8UYC5d8 via KDVR— peter grinspoon (Peter_Grinspoon) October 8, 2016
Leana Wen, the Baltimore Health Commissioner told Euronews: “Unfortunately, there is an epidemic of over-proscribing of opioids happening, incidentally that in the US there are enough prescriptions for opioids that are given every year for every adult American to have their own bottle. Americans are five percent of the world’s population and over 80 percent of prescriptions of the world’s opioids. Do we really need so many opioids? The answer of course is not.”
Lack of political will
Though not on the top of the agenda in this years presidential election, many voters in New Hampshire and the swing state of Ohio, have said opioid-addiction is the number one problem facing the country.
Over the past 20 years, the liberalisation of laws governing opioid prescription for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain has helped lead the US head first into this crisis.
Policing the crisis
Mark Sheelor, Montgomery County Police officer explained: “We are trying to look at low-level offenses, things such as disorderly conduct or minor theft cases where substance use is the primary factor that is causing those people to commit the crimes that they are committing and trying to divert them away from the (criminal justice) system by getting them help.”
Deadly assumptions
The over-prescription of opioids often comes with the dangerous assumption that they are highly effective and safe, when prescribed by physicians. The opposite is true. Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of injury death in the US. 128 people die from overdoses of pharmaceutical drugs, opioids and heroine each day.
Michael Krafft, a recovering drug addict told Euronews: “Some of these drugs are so powerful-the way out is so scary because of the pain you have to go through that most won’t attempt it. There are people in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous that have managed to stay clean fo