Prescription Painkillers

Throughout the country huge masses of people suffer with the addiction to prescription painkillers. “The number of these deaths reached a new peak in 2014 to 47,055 people, or the equivalent of about 125 Americans every day. (Park)” These numbers will only continue to rise as the abuse of opioids continues on. The abuse of opioids have ravished through the nation causing extreme pain and heartache. The opioid epidemic can be controlled and stopped by learning the drugs affects, the consequences of easily obtainable prescriptions, and how the medical world can change past ways by searching for nonaddictive treatments for pain and the treatment for those already addicted to painkillers.
The major causes surrounding the opioid addiction is the
“A survey of almost 1,200 college-age youth from around the country found that almost 16 percent report having used pain pills not prescribed to them at some point in their life, while over 37 percent said they would not know where to go for help in the event of an overdose.” These alarming numbers need to be used as a foundation for the battle against the opioid epidemic. The youth need to be taught to understand the extreme consequences that come from the abuse of prescription painkillers. As college students are subject to increased stress, depression, and anxiety the likelihood for abuse of a painkilling drug it raised dramatically. “32.7 percent of respondents said prescription pain pills are "easy" to acquire, with 49.5 percent saying they could get them within 24 hours. An even higher percentage, 34 percent, of college students said pills were "easy" to acquire. (Hazelden)” With easy access to these painkillers college students are at increased risk for abusing these drugs. Opioids should only be taken with a prescription from a doctor with specific instructions on the amount to consume and the length of time to be on the medication. With the extreme lack of knowledge college students have when it comes to taking opioids the more overdoses on campuses are documented each year. “Deaths from drug overdoses have jumped in
As the use of opioids for surgery and disease, such as cancer, are quite necessary, “doctors have many more options for treating back pain, migraines and pain related to surgery — physical therapy, anti-inflammatory drugs, acupuncture, exercise and so on. (Editorial Board)” These small instances of pain however painful should be changed to find a healthier alternative than prescription painkillers. It is quicker and easier to overlook these alternatives and prescribe opioid drugs, but for the sake of our countries youth and population the medical field must take the path less traveled. Another major problem that make painkillers easily accessible is the fact that most insurance companies will not cover safer alternatives. According to the New York Times article, “Doctors Will Play a Critical Role in the Opioid Epidemic”, insurance companies “impose so many limits and high co-pays on them that in many cases both doctors and patients find opioids a less expensive option. In some rural areas, the nearest physical therapist may be many miles away. (Editorial Board).” With these finance issues overtaking simple solutions, the federal and state governments are morally obligated to step in and help fight to stop this growing issue. The solution would be to require insurance companies to cover these healthy alternatives. This at first will seem to be a great loss of wealth for insurers, but