The Health Epidemic Killing 50,000 People a Year That is Barely Talked about
and the number is rising during COVID-19 and in black communities…
I am talking about the opioid crisis.
3 years ago during my freshman year at NYU, I wrote a similar piece on the opioid crisis but felt the need to spread word again as it continues to be stuck at the bottom of media and government agendas. Especially now that the opioid crisis has only escalated since 2017, been accelerated by COVID-19, and is specifically more concentrated and severe in predominantly black communities during a time of social upheaval, I urge the reader to stay conscious of an epidemic that continues to grow and reap havoc in our country as it is as crucial to public health, the economy, and our personal lives as any other headline in the news. I hope that this article can serve a small part in addressing the misinformation and stigma surrounding the crisis, as we are far from reversing the effects this epidemic.
The coronavirus has hijacked our immediate attention for the past couple months, and rightfully so; however, opioid addiction has been a national public health epidemic accelerating for the past two decades, which doesn’t receive the massive coverage it deserves. Overdose from prescription opioids has killed nearly 500,000 people since 1999 and has even eclipsed car accidents as the #1 leading cause of accidental deaths in America by 20,000 more deaths annually. Overdose deaths have spiked even more since 2014 (see graph later).
So how are painkillers, drugs that are manufactured with the sole purpose of helping ailing patients, ironically the leading cause of unintentional death in the US?
How Americans got hooked
Big Pharma
20 years ago, the medical community began to view pain as a crucial indicator of health like blood pressure, since millions across the country have been suffering from chronic pain for generations. This change came at the perfect time for profit-seeking pharmaceutical companies like Purdue Pharma eager to market their newly manufactured opioids like OxyContin to doctors and offer what seemed to be a very effective solution to treat chronic pain. The drugs, however, were falsely advertised to contain no addictive qualities for patients without an addiction history. Marketing opioids as a no-brainer solution to chronic pain therefore led to quadrupling prescription opioid sales and quintupling opioid overdoses — costing the lives of over hundreds of thousands of individuals who became addicted after trusting the medical industry since.
The transition to illicit opioids
Mass prescription of opioids has also skyrocketed demand for illicit substances. Since people easily build tolerance to opioids, it is common for prescription addicts to turn to the streets for stronger pain killers such as heroin. These illegal drugs’ potential for overdose is now higher than ever since drug dealers can lace them with powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl to supply higher potencies at lower costs.
Some more stats to ring alarms
- 130 Americans die of overdose everyday
- 3/4 new heroin users state they got addicted through prescription medication
- $500 billion lost annually due to the opioid crisis in recent years
- 1000+ people are being treated in emergency departments for not using prescription opioids as directed everyday
- Since 2014, rates of increase in opioid deaths have been rising more steeply among black people (43%) than white people (22%)
Where we’re at now
Although other public health dangers such as shootings, hate crime, and COVID-19 are extremely pressing issues, the opioid crisis has been covered to a much lesser extent than other problems despite its huge magnitude. This lack of coverage can largely be attributed to misinformation and the stigma surrounding addiction.
Misinformation
Many Americans including medical professionals lack awareness of the sheer danger of prescription painkillers. Highly addictive opioids are much more accessible than other forms of addiction treatment, yet many doctors still prescribe opioids at high rates and do not fully inform their patients about the dangerous side effects of these drugs. Patients who can be treated with alternative pain management practices are still prescribed opioids simply because it is easier and cheaper to buy pills than regularly going through treatment sessions and therapy. Financial barriers to receiving both alternative pain management and addiction treatment also further disproportionately burden the lower socioeconomic demographics who are at most risk to substance addiction.
Stigma
Stigma towards drug addiction has been stunting the growth of attention the opioid crisis demands. Public empathy is the first step in gaining nationwide support to collectively combat such as massive health problem. As Chris Heide from CNN stated:
The popular misconception is that addiction is some sort of moral failing…When society insists that addiction is a choice, it perpetuates a culture of guilt and shame, which inevitably keeps addicts from seeking help
Addiction is caused by the chemical rewiring of neural pathways in the brain so that the mind and body become dependent on the drug to avoid unbearable withdrawal symptoms. Viewing addiction as if it is dependent on one’s willpower causes the public to shun current addicts and neglect building solutions to treat and prevent opioid addiction. Future users also believe that they can be held accountable under medical guidance, when in reality, addiction can affect anyone after one doctor’s visit for an injury. Figures ranging from many NFL stars to Kanye West have revealed that they once were or are currently addicted to opioids after being prescribed painkillers.
The social, financial, and systematic barriers to finding inexpensive and effective treatment force many addicts to continue their cycle of opioid use and commonly seek stronger opioids like heroin to suffice their needs. They aren’t moral failures every time they give into their cravings; they realize that addiction is destroying their lives and are not getting high to get high— their bodies’ chemistries now depend on these substances to function without facing unbearably painful withdrawals.
Coronavirus x Opioid Crisis
Tyler Marshall, MPH, Jonathan N. Stea, PhD, and Rob Tanguay, MD summarizes the combination of the two health crises best on MedpageToday:
Prior to COVID-19, people with opioid addiction already struggled to obtain comprehensive care due to widespread stigma and misinformation, in addition to systemic and socioeconomic barriers.
Now, a health dilemma is afoot: The rightful and necessary need to respect physical distancing has unfortunately also resulted in social isolation and increased levels of stress for many people, including those who use opioids.
The current situation is quickly producing additional barriers to accessing evidence-based care: such as pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, harm reduction services, addiction medicine, and social supports. It is vital that our peers who use opioids still have access to essential health and social services during this time — even if it is remote access.
The best we can do now is to stay aware and offer support, not shame, to users who are now at higher risk than ever before of overdosing. If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid addiction, please seek appropriate care and treatment.
If you are moved to do so, you can donate to organizations such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse for their efforts towards alleviating drug abuse and addiction.
