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Opioids In The 1920's

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In the 1920s, a period of prosperity encompassed the United States. Called “The Roaring Twenties,” this time period consisted of affluent economic growth and change to a more modern culture. Americans investors felt optimistic and bought stocks on margin, not realizing that stocks could go down. However, at the end of the decade, the stock market crashed, marking the end of this prosperous era.
Coinciding with this time period, drug use rose in the United States. For example, addictive drugs could be found in everyday products that people consumed. Despite the fact that “The Roaring Twenties” was also the time of the Prohibition Era and the banning of various drugs, Americans increasingly defied the rules and turned to drugs in order to feel …show more content…

Opioids are a class of drugs that relieve pain by acting on the nervous system. Even though many people receive these drugs as a prescription in order to relieve pain, over-medication often occurs, causing people to become hooked to these drugs. Also, many humans find ways to illegally obtain these drugs. According to the article, “The Opioid Epidemic: A Crisis Years in the Making” by Maya Salam, drug overdoses serve as “the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old — killing roughly 64,000 people last year” (The New York Times). Additionally, more Americans die every year from opioid overdoses than from car accidents or guns (The New York Times). Although these statistics are terrifying, high levels of action have not yet been taken. A reason for the lack of action on this issue could be the fact that so many individuals focus on the good feelings that opioids or other drugs provide them that they do not recognize the fact that drugs serve as more of a problem to society rather than a solution to their problems when feeling down. When individuals fall under the influence of drugs, they cannot fully recognize what is wrong with both their actions, or inactions, as well as the actions of their society as a whole. The government recognizes the problem and does not try to hide it, unlike in Brave New World. This difference between our society and that of Brave New World lies in the fact that while our government yearns to simply keep us under control, the World State desires to completely control their citizens by providing them with soma rations to stop them from speaking out against the government. Nevertheless, individuals in our society remain not fully aware of the problem. In order to find solutions to this rising epidemic, people who recognize the problem must spread their knowledge to help those already facing the

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Prescription opioids are pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine that have been prescribed to the patient by a doctor. However, prescription drug abuse is a growing trend in America. Many pharmaceutical companies have played a large role in creating this epidemic. Companies such as Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, and Endo Pharmaceuticals began a trend of marketing the drugs for minor pain such as neck and back in 1990. Prior to this prescription opioids had only been prescribed to patients with long term illness and pain, such as cancer patients.

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Although the “Roaring Twenties” began with a whimper rather than a bang, this era was a time of profound change. Economic expansion facilitated a myriad of new products, entertainment, and technology. Societal and familial responsibilities changed, much of it due to the consumerist culture. Although the new consumerism of the 1920’s transformed the American society and economy largely positively in the form of new products and lifestyles, and changes in financial arrangements, agricultural and banking consumerism had mostly negative effects on them.

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Although towards the end of the decade, there was a great depression, it brought positive effects that stabilized the economy and laws (Chapter 2: The 1920s and the Start of the Depression 1921-1933, 2003). This, in the end, led to an economic cycle that created more and more prosperity and a more relaxing lifestyle for commoners. With the relaxation of living, people were able to develop culture instead of being chased by survival. The 1920s is also referred to as the “roaring twenties.” The American government banned drinking pubs to prevent crime or the negatives, but people continued to open illegal shops and because they were drawn to things that were not allowed to do, it soon became a craze.

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Although towards the end of the decade, there was a great depression, it brought positive effects that stabilized the economy and laws (Chapter 2: The 1920s and the Start of the Depression 1921-1933, 2003). This, in the end, led to an economic cycle that created more and more prosperity and a more relaxing lifestyle for commoners. With the relaxation of living, people were able to develop culture instead of being chased by survival. The 1920s is also referred to as the “roaring twenties.” The American government banned drinking pubs to prevent crime or the negatives, but people continued to open illegal shops and because they were drawn to things that were not allowed to do, it soon became a craze.

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“The 1920s," published by Kathleen Drowne and Patrick Huber, details the proclaimed “glamorous” decade of the roaring twenties. Following the remnants of World War I, American society is becoming accustomed to the new world and way of life. The introduction of technology in households was gaining popularity throughout the nation, while some were appalled by the sudden shift and vowed to live "traditionally." Compared to the last generation, people were much more open to going against the moral code in most areas of life. Because of the prohibition that took place in early 1920, many did not care about opinions and rebelled by wearing what would now be considered modest but “revealing” clothing and purchasing bootleg liquor.

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The problems of the opioid crisis in the United States have always been of great concern, but the recent developments in this respect are very worrisome. One of the articles about the “fourth wave” of the opioid crisis by Kaitlin Sullivan was published in NBC News on September 14, 2023, according to the researchers. The stage is marked by a dramatic rise in overdose deaths related to the combination of stimulants and the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. Sullivan highlights the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic by starting her article with a statistic: the number of overdose deaths in 2021 has surpassed 100,000 for the first time. Most of these fatalities were attributed to synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, thus representing a significant divergence from the earlier stages

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Recent reforms can curb the opioid epidemic. Yes, health care professionals have realized the complex problem and they now understand the problem and what needs to be done. According to CQ Researcher, “Experts see some progress in the fight against opioid painkiller abuse. After peaking in 2012, the number of prescriptions written for opioids declined 12 percent between 2013 and 2015, according to IMS Health, a market research company. Symphony Health Solutions, a data company that studies the pharmaceutical industry, found an 18 percent drop in that period.”

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Underlying Causes: The increase in the sale of opioids is considered to be the root of the opioid crisis, as the drugs have been proven to be highly addictive. An addiction to prescriptive opioids, however, can lead to an addiction to synthetic, illegal opioids, such as heroine or fentanyl, which are less expensive and easier to acquire. In fact, in their journal article, “Associations of nonmedical pain reliever use and initiation of heroin use in the United States” Pradip Muhuri and associates discovered that “the recent (12 months preceding interview) heroin incidence rate was 19 times higher among those who reported prior nonmedical prescription pain reliever (NMPR) use than among those who did not (0.39 vs. 0.02 percent)” (Muhuri et. al). In other words, abusing prescription opioids significantly raises the chances of abusing illicit drugs, such as heroin.

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Today, a crisis called the opioid epidemic is currently rising. The opioid epidemic is the use of prescription and nonprescription opioids. Examples of opioid drugs are heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and many others. The opioid epidemic is swiftly increasing in the United States; however, it can rapidly decrease if people were to do these things: aware the new generation of the effects, provide the ill with better treatment options, and put a stop to overprescribing.

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Over the course of Canada’s history, the country has suffered through many issues, from the hunger and strife of the Great Depression to concerns of opioid drugs looming over today’s society. In North America, opioid drug use is on the rise. To put this into perspective, it is known that Canadians are the second largest consumers of prescription opioids, second only to the United States of America, which is currently stricken with an overdose epidemic (International Overdose Awareness Day). In fact, the amount of illicit drug overdoses in Canada rose 31% from 2014 to 2015, with 480 overdoses in 2015 compared to 366 in 2014 (BC Coroners Service). As the usage of opioids increases, so do the amount of deaths related to opioids.

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Prescription drugs (opiates only) have caused over 165,000 deaths within the last 15 years and is currently on the rise. Over 2 million Americans in 2014 were addicted to Opiate prescription narcotics. The most troubling fact is listed directly on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website: “As many as 1 in 4

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The “Roaring Twenties” profiled the United States as one of the wealthiest countries with a high standard of living, increased personal freedom, liberating cultural changes, and unlimited economic well-being. Nonetheless, this apparent prosperity was exclusive to the consumerist minorities, being agricultural crises, sick industries, poverty, and racism ignored by the government. The aforementioned ignorance took its toll in 1929 as the Wall Street Crash plunged the US into ten years of downturn economic activity jointly known as the Great Depression. During the 1930s, such enervated economic phenomenon seriously affected cities, farms, and families, yielded serious psychological outcomes, and influenced the development of popular culture.

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Opioid Epidemic in the United States              The opioid crisis has risen over the years here in America. The addiction to painkillers has caused many drug overdoses across America. According to the Vox," In 2015, more than 52,000 people have died from drug overdoses from linked to opioids such as Percocet, heroin, Oxycontin or even fentanyl. This problem did not become an overnight health crisis, but it has become quickly known in America.             Expanding our drug treatment centers across America would provide the support to those who are addicted to drugs.

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In the article, Foundation For a Drug Free World persuades to prescription drug users opioids ruin the user’s life because they are addictive. Prescription drugs are an epidemic worldwide. Describing the problem, “It is estimated that between

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These pills, such as xanax and oxycodone allow people for short periods of time to withdraw from the harsh reality faced today. “Between 1997 and 2002, sales of oxycodone and methadone nearly quadrupled” (Okie). Around 15 years later and the prescription pill problem is continuing to skyrocket. Since prescription pills are dispersed out to anyone by doctors, many people do not realize that it is as much of an illicit drug as cocaine and heroin is. “Misinformation about the addictive properties of prescription opioids and the perception that prescription drugs are less harmful than illicit drugs are other possible contributors to the problem” (NIDA).

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