America’s Drug Crisis

By Caleigh Pelrine

         I have a vivid memory of being offered Percocet at 14 years old. I just recall being told it “makes you feel good.” Wondering how a 14 year old could even obtain such a substance, I looked it up and found out about the opioid epidemic. Percocet is just one of many prescription opioids that millions of Americans abuse daily. This is not something that is taught in school. All I was ever taught is that drugs are bad, and I should never do them. I had never realized it was this big of an issue.

         The opioid epidemic began in the late 1990’s when new prescription opioid painkillers were being manufactured. Pharmaceutical companies assured the medical community and the public that these substances were not addictive which led healthcare providers to prescribe them at a greater rate than ever before. By 2007, thousands had died from opioid related drug overdoses, and hundreds of thousands were misusing opioids. A decade later, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency. At this point, 130 people were dying from opioid overdoses daily, and over 2 million people had an opioid use disorder. Donald Trump’s 2019 budget includes over $74 million for overdose-reversing drugs, and the HHS has issues over $800 million in grants to support treatment, prevention and recovery. Additionally, in 2017 the HHS launched a 5-point strategy to combat the epidemic; better addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services; better data; better pain management; better targeting of overdose reversing drugs; better research. Though some changes have been made, the epidemic is only getting worse. Deaths from opioid related overdoses are predicted to skyrocket in the coming decade.

        We must take action. The youth of America need to be educated before it is too late. Junior high schools and high schools should be required to educate students about opioids and the severity of this terrible epidemic. Healthcare providers should also be required to inform his or her patients of the possible side effects of anything he or she prescribes. This genuinely is a life or death situation considering that the vast majority of opioid abusers began using these drugs due to a prescription from his or her healthcare provider, probably unaware that he or she could become addicted. People need to know exactly what is going into their bodies. If students are educated about the crisis now, it could save hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives down the line.

Digital Communications Division. “5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis.” HHS.gov, US Department of Health and Human Services, www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/hhs-response/index.html.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Opioid Overdose Crisis.” NIDA, 22 Jan. 2019, www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis.