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The Opioid Crisis

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The opium poppy plant produces substances that act as a pain reliever. Most opioid drugs like morphine and hydrocodone that treat severe pain, contain the products of these poppy plants. Opioids are powerful narcotics that have over the years been taken advantage of but should exclusively be for medical purposes only prescribed by physicians. Nabarun Dasgupta is a pharmaceutical epidemiologist who has a Ph.D. in pharmacy from the University of North Carolina. Nabarun wrote a peer-reviewed article about the opioid crisis and how economic factors intensify the epidemic. He reports, it is false to say that overprescription is the only cause of this national crisis. Dasgupta claims that some of the blame must also go to structural components like …show more content…

Essentially, these social and economic challenges seem to rile the effects of this addiction. The failed economy, high poverty rates, poor living and working conditions can lead to depression and feelings of pain. “... economic hardship, social isolation, and hopelessness [are] reasons for drug use” (Dasgupta 184). With social problems rising the demand for opioids has spiked. This drug crisis is a societal reaction and obvious manifestation of an economic recession. “In much of the country, the counties with the lowest levels of social capital have the highest overdose rates” (Dasgupta 183). Drug use is now commonly used as a coping method for emotional pain caused by social stressors and economic hardships. Social stressors are to blame for eroding humanities physical and mental well-being. The easiest approach for treatment and relief from emotional and physical pain seems to be prescribing opioids for immediate results; however, it is not the most effective.
Another cause of opioid misuse is painful working conditions and an excessive amount of job injuries that lead to disabilities and poverty. “Although opioid analgesics may allow those with otherwise debilitating injuries to maintain employment, individuals in manual labor occupations appear to be at increased risk for non-medical use” (Dasgupta 183). Physicians prescribe painkillers manly to the American middle and working class which coincidentally have the most social problems leading them to

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666 Words | 3 Pages

As elaborated by Katelyn Newman, in her article ¨A Personal Look at a National Problem¨, the opioid epidemic in America is both severing family relationships and resulting in widespread suffering. In the aftermath of the historic increase of prescription drug abuse in the United States, as well as the opioid epidemic being deemed a national emergency by President Donald Trump, Newman brings to light the true impacts the crisis is having on the United States. By generalizing the population, expressing her words in a solemn tone, and through alternating between narrating and informing, Katelyn Newman calls all americans to be conscience of the opioid epidemic, and the effects it is having on the relationships between people within the United States.

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341 Words | 2 Pages

In his article, “Toward a Policy on Drugs,” Elliot Currie discusses “the magnitude and severity of our drug crisis” (para. 21), and how “no other country has anything resembling the American drug problem” (para. 21). The best way to describe America’s drug problem is that it is a hole continuously digs itself deeper. America’s drug issues were likely comparable to other country’s at one point in time, but today it can be blamed on the “street cultures” (para. 21) that continue to use and spread the use of illegal drugs. These street cultures transcend the common stereotype of drug users, such as low income communities in cities or welfare recipients, and can be found in every economic class and location. They are groups of people who have

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1929 Words | 8 Pages

Financial insecurity limited Sonny’s access to basic necessities such as medical care, educational opportunities, and a secure place to live, leaving him to feel alone and desperate. People who are trying to escape these conditions may turn to drugs as a temporary distraction or coping technique. In an article explaining the results of a drug and alcohol dependence study, it was noted that, "across 17 states in 2002–2014, opioid overdoses were concentrated in more economically disadvantaged zip codes, indicated by higher rates of poverty and unemployment as well as lower education and median household income,” (Grinspoon). Those who are in lower income areas, are more prone to falling into a life of addiction because they are disadvantaged in almost every aspect of society. Lack of resources, along with the appeal of quick relief from life's problems, accentuated Sonny’s desire to do drugs, eventually continuing the pattern of poverty and drug use in lower income communities.

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844 Words | 4 Pages

This dependence on substances often leads to a dangerous cycle, where individuals feel they cannot function without them. As more and more people fall into this trap, we risk ending up like the society depicted in Brave New World, where happiness is manufactured and individuality is suppressed. Sadly, our own government seems to be following a similar path, with a lack of resources and support for those struggling with substance abuse, exemplified by the current opioid epidemic in America. If we continue down this path, our society may end up like the one in Brave New World, where the pursuit of happiness comes at the cost of individual

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935 Words | 4 Pages

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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737 Words | 3 Pages

“ Because they produce euphoria in addition to pain relief, they can be misused. Regular use- even as prescribed by a doctor can lead to dependence ,and when misused, opioid pain relievers can lead to overdose incidents and deaths” (Drugabuse.gov/opioids) Prescribing opioids have more dangers to the human than they do

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288 Words | 2 Pages

Over decades there has been many different case studies on drug addiction. Drugs like opioids have the same high and side effects as a poppy plant. Opioids is a pain reliever and they cost a lot more than drugs. Opioids is like hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine and codeine. The president thinks the drug addiction and alcohol abuse is an epidemic because there

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485 Words | 2 Pages

Without patient’s being aware of how to power the drug was, it eventually leads to the Opioids Crisis in America which now put a horrible word for the doctors and companies when it all starts by one person abusing the opioid pill. President Donald J. Trump idea that he had in mind was stated in the article of America’s Opioid Crisis, “But he reinforced the idea that the victims are to blame with an offhand reference to LSD.” Which indeed has the fact that people are to blame for misusage of the

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1087 Words | 5 Pages

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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596 Words | 3 Pages

Dependence on prescription opioids can stem from treatment of chronic pain and in recent years is the cause of the increased number of opioid overdoses. Opioids are very addictive substances, having serious life threatening consequences in case of intentional or accidental overdose. The euphoria attracts recreational use, and frequent,

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685 Words | 3 Pages

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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1077 Words | 5 Pages

The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates.

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473 Words | 2 Pages

In recent years, the US has seen a steady rise in the rate of opioid-related deaths. Around 33,000 people overdosed on prescription opioids and heroin in 2015 alone. That is a 200% increase in opioid related deaths since 2000, which explains why it’s called an opioid epidemic. One of the big questions is: What are the roots of the epidemic?

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954 Words | 4 Pages

A couple fellow classmates in high school and college were always taking some kind of pills. Myself not knowing much about drugs, I thought they were prescribed. Later, I found out that they weren’t prescribed. My classmates were using them for themselves and also distributing to other students. I never spoke up about it, since I never witnessed the distribution but rumors go around.

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970 Words | 4 Pages

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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