Barrio 1

Kezia Barrio

Dewey

English 101

6 December 2018

Reform on Opioids

Nearly 49,000 deaths by drug overdose were caused by opioids this year, ​t​he biggest

driver being the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which has killed more than 29,000 people, followed

by heroin (“​US drug overdose”, Parr. 3​). Roughly 20-29% of patients that are prescribed opioids

misuse them. They then become reliant on the drug, and if unable to refill these prescriptions

they turn to the streets, then leading down the path of addiction. With this being said, why are

opioid prescriptions given out so easily? It’s tough to say who exactly is responsible for this

crisis, but there is a lot that can be done in order to fix it.

Opioids target and attach to pain receptors, completely changing the way the brain reacts

to said pain. By doing this a large amount of dopamine is released, this can make a person feel

euphoric. Slowing their breathing down and giving off an extremely calming effect. This is one

of the main reasons they are so addictive, the process can strongly allow the user to want to

repeat. There are many undeniably important reasons opioids could be prescribed. In cases of

extreme chronic pain that is no doubt affecting a patients well being. Or in cases of severe

diseases such as cancer, where it is a necessity to manage pain by drug. ​Although, there still may

be alternatives to tackle chronic pain. “A group of state attorneys general recently unveiled a new

way to attack addiction because of chronic pain: urging insurance providers to create financial

incentives for pain management without prescription pills. Treatments can include physical
 Barrio 2

therapy, acupuncture and biofeedback. They don't cause addiction like painkillers can, but they

are often costly, especially when compared with inexpensive pain pills”(“DeMio, Terry”, Parr.

3). ​Yet still, these drugs aren’t always prescribed the only way they should be. “Acute is the kind

of pain that can come from a sprained or broken ankle, from surgery or a dental health problem.

It's not a months-long problem, so, the states argue, it's not necessary for doctors to prescribe

weeks or months of pain pills for the condition”(“​DeMio, Terry​”, Parr. 26). This appears to

continuously be the manifestation of what is happening. Often drugs such as oxycodone are

prescribed for small instances, such as the removal of wisdom teeth. They are aware of the steps

to take in order to solve the problem, but not much change is happening, and these nonessential

authorizations by doctors are a massive contributor to the issue at hand.

When these big pharma companies and doctors consistently allow unnecessary

prescriptions of opioids for lower levels of pain, and these prescriptions cannot be continuously

refilled, those who become hooked tend to go to the streets, ​“because addicts often turn to street

opioids, such as illicitly produced fentanyl or heroin, when pharmaceutically manufactured

substitutes become unavailable. An estimated 81,000 Americans used heroin for the first time in

2016. The number of fatal heroin overdoses in the United States more than tripled, while the

number of fatalities caused by synthetic opioid overdoses soared from about 3,000 in 2010 to

more than 19,000 in 2016” ( “Opioid Crisis”, Parr. 4). These companies and doctors start the fire

of addiction, only to toss patients out into the streets for drugs. Along with the usually

unaffordable costs of rehab, those who become addicted are left alone to struggle. More often

than not, just becoming another statistic in death by opioid and heroin overdose.
 Barrio 3

So who is to blame? The doctors? The pharmaceutical companies? Those abusing the

drugs? The D.E.A? It’s complicated to incriminate one solely for the cause of an entire epidemic,

though you have to start at the beginning and acknowledge the predominant factors. The Feds

and States are those who have the power to create change. In fact The Drug Enforcement

Administration has the upper hand in all of this to try and correct the damage that has been done,

yet they haven’t. “The agency has been unable to balance legitimate access to and control of

prescription drugs. The widespread over-reliance on opioids, along with benzodiazepines,

amphetamines and other scheduled medications, has created a booming black market. A decade

into the crisis, more and more prescription drug users turned to the black market. Even though

the D.E.A. had tried to ''eradicate'' illicit drugs for nearly 50 years, users could easily buy stolen

and counterfeit pills, along with a cheaper option, heroin”(“Beletsky, Leo”, Parr. 4 & 8). Along

with this the States themselves have authority to change and attempt to create laws regarding the

terms on which opioids can be prescribed. They all speak of this crisis we are facing, yet fundle

little to no money in real attempt to fix it. These drugs are given out so easily, only to continue to

add to addiction and overdose.

Others may argue that the problem is the addicts themselves, or that these effortlessly

obtained prescriptions contribute vast amounts to the pharmaceutical market. Yet, when it comes

to opioid prescriptions contributing to capitalism, well that's just proof to the problem. The lack

of importance of the health of the people, compared to the high importance of how much money

these companies will make is abhorrent. As for addicts being the problem, and for lack of finer

diction, this argument is simply ignorant. There is plenty of scientific and medical evidence that

shows drugs changing brain chemistry, and that addiction is a disease. In fact opioid addiction is
 Barrio 4

also medically referred to as opioid use disorder, and as all forms of addiction, is treated

medically. Nearly all evidence to blame falls toward the U.S. government, and there is little

wiggle room to be able to argue against that.

The opioid crisis is no doubt a problem that needs some serious effort by our nation in

order to be fixed, these drugs are by far too easily obtained. There needs to be more research and

funding put forth in other options to treat chronic and moderate pain, that doesn’t lead millions

down the road to addiction. At the very least, more federal regulations need to happen in order

for us to make progress.

 Barrio 5

Works cited

Beletsky, Leo, and Jeremiah Goulka. "The D.E.A. Is Part of the Opioid Crisis." ​New York Times,​

18 Sept. 2018, p. A23(L). ​Global Issues in Context

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A554608268/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=OVIC&xi

d=8a6268de. Accessed 6 Dec. 2018.

DeMio, Terry. "Horror of opioid abuse begins with a pill bottle." ​USA Today,​ 30 Jan. 2018, p.

01A. ​Global Issues in Context​,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A525766386/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=OVIC&xi

d=6d4b5a00. Accessed 6 Dec. 2018.

"Opioid Crisis." ​Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection​, Gale, 2018. ​Opposing Viewpoints in

Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999232/OVIC?u=mcc_glendale&sid=OVIC

&xid=127d5588. Accessed 6 Dec. 2018.

“US drug overdose deaths rose to record 72,000 last year, data reveals” ​© 2018 Guardian News

and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/16/us-drug-overdose-deaths-opioids-fen

tanyl-cdc