There are all kinds of developments going on with drug usage, many of which tell us a lot about how our society is being affected by their presence and what we can expect in the near future. These are some trends in the usage of opioids and other substances that Dr. J. Fred Stoner believes Americans should be aware of.
Decrease in Opioid Prescriptions
If you’ve followed the opioid crisis, you know that doctors overprescribing opioids, such as oxycodone, are largely responsible for the epidemic. Since hitting an apex in 2011, opioid prescriptions are down by nearly 50 percent. This is an encouraging sign, as it can help prevent more people from getting hooked on prescription medication and using street drugs like heroin to feed their addiction. However, there’s still plenty of damage done to those who received unsafe prescriptions, and this reduction cannot directly impact those already prescribed opioids in the past.
Prescriptions in 2018 were down 17 percent from the previous year. Keeping the prescription rate reasonable depends on states further developing laws regarding how opioids are prescribed. There also needs to be more education about opioid addiction so that doctors are able to use more scrutiny before just giving a patient a prescription. Opioids can be prescribed safely, but the recent rates have still been unacceptable and put people in unnecessary danger.
Increase in Cocaine Usage
There has been a concerning spike in cocaine usage and deaths over the last few years. Cocaine, already a dangerous drug, has been increasingly cut with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. This has allowed dealers to produce more of a drug for less cost, but it’s been deadly for their clients. Along with fentanyl, there’s also been more cocaine coming into the United States through areas like Colombia. States with opioid epidemics have also been facing an influx of cocaine.
Demographics are also showing to have an impact on cocaine usage. Although it has a reputation for being a “rich person’s drug,” lower-income people have been using it more than before. It also doesn’t discriminate based on age, as people who are 18-25 years old and those over 50 have also been using it more. Tobacco usage and heavy drinking have also been linked to cocaine usage. The number of overdose deaths in 2016 is almost 100 percent more than the number in 2014. Most of the opioid-based cocaine deaths in 2016 also involved fentanyl.
Increase in Meth Usage
Methamphetamine might not be an opioid, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a major cause of concern for health officials. There’s been comparatively little press regarding the meth epidemic, but the numbers speak for themselves. Deaths from meth overdoses were four times greater in 2017 compared to 2011. More people are having to seek medical treatment for meth usage. Part of the trouble with getting the word out has been figuring out how to relate it to the dialogue about opioid addiction. However, many people who die as a result of meth usage also have a history of opioid abuse.
Some of the hardest hit areas by meth usage have been western territories, such as California. Fentanyl has also made its way into meth, making it even more dangerous and lethal. There’s also been evidence to suggest meth is more dangerous based on the age of usage. If someone has been using meth for several decades or starts using it at an older age, their organs might not be able to process it as easily as a young person’s would.
Addicted Parents and Suicide Link
A study suggests that those whose parents are opioid-users have a greater chance of attempting suicide. More than a quarter of a million parents and their children were analyzed. 678 children in the opioid-using group attempted suicide, more than triple the number of those who were children of non-opioid-using parents. It can’t yet be ruled that parents using opioids directly links to their children attempting suicide, especially not when the number of children of addicts who attempt suicide is less than one percent. However, the discrepancy between the two groups gives us a lot to think about in regard to how greatly the opioid crisis affects all areas of life.
Having parents who abuse opioids could potentially lead to feelings of anxiety and depression in their children. Opioid-using parents are also prone to depression and attempting suicide. Addressing the opioid crisis must also address those caught in the crosshairs of the crisis.
Dr. J. Fred Stoner understands how addiction can occur. As a doctor with a focus on pain management, Dr. Stoner has researched and written extensively on this matter. As one of the most credible voices on the topic of opioid abuse and addiction, Dr. Stoner has been a true ally in this fight.
