State of the Opioid Crisis

The State of the Opioid Crisis

Opioids, both illegal (such as heroin) and legally prescribed (such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, etc.) are still being abused daily at alarming rates in the United States. Pop-culture references, videos of parents overdosing in cars, and vital anti-drug advertisements run rampant in our culture. For many, it’s all too easy to fall into a strong opioid-related addiction. When taken, opioids activate receptors in the brain and spinal cord, blocking pain signals and releasing the potent neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine, a “feel good” chemical that gives off a pleasure sensation at high levels, augments user tendency, bringing people back for more and reinforcing the effects of drug abuse. Not to mention, these kinds of drugs can be prescribed for everything from pain relief to coughing to diarrhea.

In 2016 alone, enough painkillers were prescribed that every American adult could be medicated with 30mg of hydrocodone every day for almost a month. This surge in opioid addiction and opioid-related deaths isn’t new. Fortunately, it’s not growing, but it is not subsiding either.

Opioid Usage Last 10 Years

When you turn the clock back 10 years, drug related deaths were responsible for approximately 36,500 lives in the United States. As large a number as that may seem, it has jumped to nearly twice that in about a decade; in 2017, drug related deaths accounted for an astounding 72,000 lives. Opioids accounted for an alarming two-thirds of those (at around 49,000 deaths). Deadly fentanyl has been the game changer over the last three years. Fentanyl is 10 times stronger than heroin and has been inserted into most street supplies.

Understandably, that’s a large scale to try and imagine. In a year’s worth of time, that is the equivalent of nearly 200 deaths every single day. That is one person in every group of five living in America. That is, undeniably, one very extensive and unmissable crisis. And yet, it seems like this continues to be an unchanging condition, for quite some time now.

The truth is, this is only a fraction of the surge we have seen the United States undergo in the last couple of decades. Between 1999 and 2016, the rates of death by opioid usage quintupled in just 17 years. Opioid (mainly heroin) related deaths have remained on the rise, particularly in states such as West Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire. These three states had the highest rates of death due to drug overdose in 2016 and continue to show statistically significant rises from year to year. Many still wonder if reversing the tide of opioid addiction remains a realistic possibility.

The Road Ahead

Although these rates continue to rise, it is very much within our means to change the future of the nation’s number one health crisis. We need to get the addicted into treatment programs, which is ultimately the way to curb demand for street drugs. Treatment programs that combine real medicine (such as Suboxone or Naltrexone), in tandem with addiction treatment. While the FDA has done a decent job in putting prescription drugs at farther reach, treatment, education and intervention are the keys to turning the tide. If Americans and lawmakers can work together to pave the way for strengthened monitoring, innovative programs, and anti-craving medicines, it is likely we will be able to see an improvement in the upcoming years. Today, millions of lives are still at risk.

Safe Haven Recovery is a boutique Florida Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center located in Miami, FL. We specialize in Suboxone Maintenance & Detox, along with, Couples Addiction Treatment. Call us today at 866-447-4650.

About the Author

Alexandra Bautista is a content intern at Last Call Marketing, which devotes their efforts to Digital Marketing, SEO and Social Engagement in healthcare and tourism. Ms. Bautista is a senior at The University of Central Florida University majoring in psychology and entertainment management.

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