This article combats the assumption that most drug issues in the United States stem from poor economic conditions. Opioid deaths make up 20-50% of all drug related deaths in the US and are accredited as being a large reason our life expectancy numbers have been falling. It was interesting to learn that the opioid crisis functions differently from other drug and alcohol problems. This epidemic, like the title of the article explains, is driven by supply. The country's opioid problem stretches across more demographics because opioid addiction commonly arises from overuse and abuse of prescriptions rather than exposure to poor economic conditions.
https://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2018/01/another-prescription
9 comments:
I feel as If the legalization of the sale of recreational marijuana would drastically decrease our country's opioid problem while simultaneously stimulating the nation's economy.
It has been noted that states where marijuana is legalized at the recreational level, opioid use is drastically less of a problem. However, it has also been found that the road fatalities in states with legal recreational marijuana sales has increased. Thus, I'm not sure marijuana legalization should be the solution to this problem , but because of the severity of the opioid problem perhaps it should be considered.
I think a major problem that needs to be looked at is the frequency of Doctors prescribing opioids. Often times, those who are addicted to pain killers will switch to heroin when they cannot obtain pills. Also narcan is very costly which is a big situation we discussed in class. Who ultimately pays for this? Do we allow people do overdose or do we spend on narcan. It is a major problem that I think fits very well into class.
I agree with Michael, there has to be stricter regulation over prescribing opioids. They should be prescribed only in certain situations when no other pain killer will be effective. Substituting these prescriptions with other forms of painkillers seems like the best way to go. In the case of marijuana, it is not necessarily an addictive substances, costs are moderate enough and overdosing is not as likely.
It is interesting to know why the government has not started regulating more these types of drugs since there is a clear problem that is happening because of the overuse of them. They should make sure they are providing enough for the people that actually need it, but they should regulate so people don't get overdosed. There should also be some other alternatives, like said in other comments, like marijuana. One of the problems with this is that it is still illegal in many states, but this could be a good argument in order to legalize it because this could create an alternative for opioid drugs, but could also create some new problems that would need to be contemplated as well.
I agree with Chris and think the legalization of recreational marijuana would help combat our country's opioid problem. Opiods are highly addictive often times causing people to abuse their prescriptions. I think as long as the pharmaceutical companies are still making profits it will be hard to bring enough attention to the opiod crisis to cause any beneficial change.
The legalization of recreational marijuana would be beneficial for various other reasons but I do agree with Michael that the underlying issue is how often these opioids are prescribed. I like that this article criticizes the assumption that most drug issues in the U.S stem from poor economic conditions because I feel like most people aren't fully aware that where it really stems from is right under all of our noses. Drug abuse is not exclusive to a particular economic class because more often than not, opioids can be prescribed to just about anyone with an injury. And when their prescription is through, they seek out similar drugs as an alternative, which is ultimately more accessible and cheaper.
Prescription drug abuse is one of the leading cause of this crisis. It is a result of a failed system of the medical sector and the government and should not be treated as a criminal justice issue as the drug addicts are mere victims. Decriminalization of opioid can help to solve this crisis as drug addicts should be given effective treatment to overcome their addiction instead of being imprisoned for something that they have no control on. Instead of focusing on abstinence and cutting down the supply as a cure for the crisis, we should look into alternative solutions like marijuana, In fact, studies have suggested that the opioid addiction is lower in the states where marijuana is legal.
Also, the prevention programs should be implemented for kids and people who have not been exposed to opioids yet. Schools can provide a supportive environment for the kids and teach better coping techniques rather than seeking escape in drugs. Making drug screening mandatory for all jobs could also prevent the young generation from drug abuse.
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