In 2016, drug overdoses claimed nearly 60,000 lives in the United States; roughly the number of Americans that were killed in the Vietnam War. And the majority of these overdoses were due to opioids.
Although much of the blame is centered on prescription pain-killers, much less attention is placed on illegal opiates such as heroin, fentanyl and countless hundreds of synthetic drugs whose use is sweeping the country.
According to political commentator William Bennett and Dr. Robert DuPont, nearly 70 percent of America’s opioid deaths occur due to non-prescription abuse. In 2015, there were 33,000 opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. Of these, heroin accounted for 12,990. Synthetic opioids (primarily illegal fentanyl) were responsible for another 9,580.
Unfortunately, in the politically correct age in which we live, users are portrayed as victims who need treatment, along with love and understanding. Less attention is given to prevention, although a look at America’s history in fighting substance abuse has always included the component of dissuading our youth from ever using drugs or alcohol. And addiction usually begins prior to adulthood.
Unfortunately, as a society, we’re yet to learn this lesson when it comes to combating opioid abuse. But while it afflicts the young, it cuts across all age and socio-economic groups. In fact, its grip is so wide, communities everywhere are struggling to find any possible answers to deal with it.
By some measures, Dayton has felt the impact of opioid abuse more than anywhere. One pediatrician there, Dr. Kelly Liker, says the hospital where she works treats as many as two children a week for accidental exposure to opioids. Two children have already died in Montgomery County this year due to the drug’s poisoning effects. Many others have been successfully treated with Naloxone, a nasal spray reversal drug which clears opioid brain receptors, throwing addicts into immediate withdrawal. Yet is Naloxone really the answer to the problem, or does it contribute to it?
Recently, Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones reaffirmed his longstanding policy of refusing to allow deputies to carry Narcan, the brand name for Naloxone. Jones remains opposed for the safety of his officers since opioid users can become violent once revived with the life-saving drug. A Middletown city councilman even suggested that Butler County emergency medical crews cease responding to people who repeatedly overdose, as the expected cost of Narcan to the county may reach $100,000 this year.
Catherine Candisky and Marty Schladen of Gatehouse Ohio Media have also written about the opiate epidemic and those it has impacted. Nickie Dixon, 24, of Columbus, began using heroin at 13. She has been revived six times with Narcan after heroin overdoses. On each occasion, all she recalls is waking up with terrible flu-like symptoms and craving more drugs to take away the pain of withdrawal. And within hours she was using heroin again.
This is the life of an opiate addict. In addition to saving lives, Naloxone acts as a crutch which allows the user to continue abusing drugs. Sheriff Jones believes it’s contributing to “a war that we’re losing.”
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio’s overdose deaths topped 4,100 in 2016. Yet heroin usage isn’t decreasing; addicts are obtaining Narcan without a prescription from many pharmacies and clinics and administering it themselves. In May alone, the Columbus Division of Fire administered 316 doses of Narcan, nearly double the 161 doses provided in May 2016. Statewide, Ohio medical responders treated almost 13,000 overdoses with Narcan in 2014, a 127 percent increase in the past decade. And if those who overdose don’t seek immediate treatment, they will likely overdose again.
Dixon knows the madness. Upon giving Narcan to a friend who was near death after overdosing on heroin, the friend was revived but reacted with upset that Dixon had the nerve to ruin his high. “Narcan parties,” where people take drugs while others are assigned to keep Narcan on hand, are also on the rise. Add to this reports of non-opioid drugs such as marijuana being laced with potentially fatal fentanyl.
Luckily, Dixon is finally receiving treatment and wants to kick her habit. For others, their usage persists. All this is taking a toll on those in medicine, law enforcement and counseling as they increasingly experience “compassion fatigue,” even dealing with opiate abuse in their own families.
What’s clear is that despite the availability of Naloxone, those who seek to save opioid addicts from the clutches of death are being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. For as the reversal drug’s success becomes more widespread, those it saves only continue to be given a false sense of security.
Prevention is a sorely missing component in the fight against opioid abuse, with the reality being that untold numbers will continue to die from it. And while America has always traditionally helped those who truly need it, one thing is undeniably true. People’s poor decisions often end with tragic consequences.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
