Question

Discuss the opioid epidemic, causes, data sources, solutions, and any personal reflections. Find other related recent news articles in the popular media. What kinds of preventive strategies or programs does your state have for opioid overuse?

Answer 1

Ans) States have experienced statistically significant increase in opoid overdose death.
- Nearly all people who use heroin also use 1 other drug.

- Overprescribing was not the sole cause of the problem.

- While increased opioid prescribing for chronic pain has been a vector of the opioid epidemic, researchers agree that such structural factors as lack of economic opportunity, poor working conditions, and eroded social capital in depressed communities, accompanied by hopelessness and despair, are root causes of the misuse of opioids and other substances.

Preventive strategies or programs for opioid overuse:

1) Improve prescribing of opioids

2)Improve prescription drug monitoring programs (state run)

3)Expand access to evidence-based substance use treatment such as MAT

4) Expand access/use of naloxone

5) Implement and strengthen state strategies

6) Imporve detection of the trends of illegal opioid use (collaboration of state with local agencies)