OPIATE ADDICTION CRISES

My previous post focused mainly on the heroin addiction epidemic and the overdose reversal drug, 'narcan.'

The bad news is, that's only half the story of the problematic theme of, 'opiate addiction.' The other half of this horrific equation involves, Dr. prescribed, 'opiate' pain killers. Ironically in the end that's what they sometimes become.

Killers of not just an individuals pain but the ending of someone's life. According to a March, 2016 N.Y. times online article, nationally 125 people die everyday from overdoses, 78 of which are from 'opiates' such as heroin or legal prescription pain medication. The epidemic has spread to white urban, suburban and rural areas. 

Heroin may be the illegal street drug, but Dr.'s overprescribing of highly addictive pain pills such as Vicodin, Tramadol or methamphetamine just to name a few has become increasingly more of an issue.

So, what's the big deal you say after all many folks such as this writer are in serious pain ?

The answer is that besides Dr.'s overprescribing, far too many patients are taking more than what's prescribed. Addiction is like a snowball going downhill. Good luck stopping it ! Alarmingly, an insane number are moving from the prescription medication directly to...cheap illegal heroin.

Folks are shooting up everywhere including recent incidents in Cincinnati where two parents overdosed and died in their child's hospital room. Also in Cincinnati in 2014, an Indiana couple overdosed and died at a McDonald's right in front of their children in the play area. There are many more examples across the country as users are leaving behind contaminated needles strewn everywhere.

Of course, in my previous post I wrote about heroin unknowingly to the users being laced with deadly potent, fentanyl. But, back to the prescription drug situation first. I recently read a story in the Youngstown, Ohio "Vindicator."

Actually it was a letter printed in the advice column from a woman extremely upset about her 72-year-old mother who became addicted to prescription pain killers. First off, the woman readily acknowledges her mothers' need to take responsibility for her part in the addiction.

However, the addicted woman's daughter had to switch Dr.'s several times as they continually ignored her pleas to quit prescribing these highly addictive pain pills to her mother. The average person just doesn't 'get' that they need to be informed, take responsibility and communicate with their Dr.'s.

Addiction withdrawal can be and often is a quite dangerous process for one's body to endure regardless of the type of drug. It involves physical, mental and neurological aspects that can be the ultimate challenge for anyone to overcome.

I recently spoke with, Hope Lavrinoff-Moran, Mahoning Co. coordinator for OHIO CAN. 

She spoke of how addiction is a "chronic relapsing brain disease." This is verified by an online government website. The compulsion and craving to keep using what's generally referred to as, one's "drug of choice"(including alcohol) becomes great. The mental aspect revolves around , more often than not, depression and, or anxiety issues among others. 

One of, if not thee greatest issue compounding these deep addiction issues is that, in Hope's words, it's "beyond the comprehension of the general public" to attempt to understand or want to deal with the uncomfortableness of these deep rooted issues whether it pertains to a friend, relative or otherwise. 

People need to begin to face these issues like it or not. 

There's still a level of the 'stigma' society chooses to attach to addiction issues in general regardless of whether a situation involves legal or illegal drugs. 

Hope lamented the fact that education has to begin in schools from kindergarten through grade 12 and beyond. Many are shopping through parents' medicine cabinets and then sharing with friends. 

As for the treatment facilities, some of them need to stop substituting one addictive drug for another which often occurs. The public needs to be aware of this practice as well and those words are the opinion of this writer, but undoubtedly also of informed people across the country. That's nothing but a setup for, 'relapse.' 

The goal is long-term recovery, not merely delaying a death sentence. 

In President Obama's 2017 proposed federal budget $1.1 billion has been earmarked for distribution to a multitude of prevention, treatment and enforcement initiatives targeting opiate addiction as well as it's devastating effects. 

Finally, a much more compassionate and educated society is sorely needed not to mention open and honest discussion. 

DAVE BURKEY
daveywriter@yahoo.com  

    

HEROIN EPIDEMIC OUT OF CONTROL

It's clear that the heroin addiction epidemic in this country has reached epidemic proportions.

It's so bad you can now purchase narcan(naloxone), the heroin overdose reversal drug over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. Not only that, but, many first responders who are often police officers along with EMT's, are also authorized to carry this life-saving drug.

People of a variety of ages are becoming addicted and more and more are dying largely due to fatal powerful overdoses laced with deadly fentanyl.

The naloxone has already saved numerous lives in Northeast Ohio and undoubtedly the rest of the country as well. It can be administered simply by squirting it up the victims nose.

It should be considered a miracle drug as opposed to something users can count on to continuously save their lives. These addicts are playing Russian roulette with their lives and the majority of them know it.

Sad as it is, the act of saving lives with narcan is not enabling as some highly ignorant folks seem to think.

It's literally saving people's lives !

Society needs to become educated as to what enabling is,or isn't. But, even more importantly users need to wake up and realize the seriousness of beginning to "use" such a highly addictive potentially fatal drug to begin with.

An example of enabling is when a police officer is quoted in the local newspaper abhorring addicts to just not use the "white stuff."

Are you kidd'in me ?! It's like saying, "I'll arrest you and throw you in jail," but just don't use the white stuff(fentanyl). All that advice is going to accomplish is delay their ultimate death sentence.

Drug treatment centers are often too expensive and with a waiting line five miles long.

More time and money needs to be invested in order for this national epidemic to be dealt with expeditiously.

DAVE BURKEY
daveywriter@yahoo.com

SOCIETAL ISSUES

 As you can see, this is the very first post of a brand new blog and the plan is to cover a wide variance of social issues extremely critical to our society as a whole.

Obviously topics such as gun control which go hand in hand with the never ending mass shootings which plague society, not to mention the role of the NRA will be a major target of my comments. Also, police brutality I can promise is at the very top of my list. The heroin epidemic along with prescription pain pill abuse is another. Also, addiction in general.

Two more problems would be bullying and government corruption. The criminal justice system needs overhauled. Now it seems, cyberbullying  via anonymous twitter accounts among high school age students is yet another.

The list goes on and on. I've had several college classes pertaining to these issues not to mention I keep up to date with current events not only locally where I live in Youngstown, Ohio, but regionally, nationally and even globally to an extent as well. I currently have two other active blogs both pertaining to sports, however I want to make it known right here and now my interests and knowledge these days go way beyond the sports realm.

You could say I would like to be known as another George Will you might say. Now before anyone laughs or scoffs at that notion, I'm in no way even remotely comparing myself to him as far as his experience, expertise and what not. He's sort of an entity unto himself. But he has always been a major league baseball expert all the while writing about a wide variety of news stories for the Washington Post.

When I get rolling, I can write pretty damn good commentary myself. Since this is my blog, written published and edited by no one other than myself, I feel free to mention my inspiration totally and completely comes from the memory of my beautiful precious girlfriend, Denise "Nece" Skeen who died many years too soon last Jan. 30.

DAVE BURKEY
daveywriter@yahoo.com