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1 American Serial Killer: Opioids Grace Burney Chhetri Georgia State University PERSP2002: Scientific Perspectives on Global Problems Professor Stephanie Scales February 23, 2022

2 The Opioid epidemic is America’s current serial killer, murdering millions and leaving those alive to relearn how to live their now changed lives. What started as prescription pain relief medication has now become the source of countless deaths. The current opioid epidemic is the daily life of millions throughout the U.S, mainly white, who struggle to get clean but are lucky enough to have the opportunity. The ramifications of the addiction manifests in our society that loses future generations to come. Prescribed opioids initially gained popularity with doctors in the ’90s to combat pain from surgery or cancer (Felter, 2021). Then pharmaceutical companies pushed for opioids claiming no risk involving them and fear of untreated patient pain caused by overprescribing opioids. However, the pharmaceutical companies were lying, and once people got hooked on medicated opioids, they turned to heroin as an alternative when they could no longer get their supply. As Bridget G. Brennan, a New York Special Narcotics Prosecutor, says, “We didn’t develop an opioid epidemic until there was a huge surplus of opioids, which started with pharmaceutical drugs distributed legally” (Felter, 2021). King County, Seattle, experienced a massive surge in heroin-related deaths in the 1990s, which has since become an ongoing problem; in 2015, heroin treatment admissions for The Emergency Service Patrol, a “sobering center,” surpassed alcohol (Seelye et al., 2017). At the same time, heroin deaths surpassed gun homicides, killing more than 33,000 people (Seelye et al., 2017). In general, Opioid overdose deaths have more than six-fold since 1990, contributing to fifty thousand deaths with no signs of slowing down. An article written by various authors for the New York Times, “Inside a Killer Drug Epidemic: A Look at America’s Opioid Crisis,” highlights some the lives of those struggling against their addiction or who have been impacted by the opioid crisis throughout America. The

3 article effectively humanizes the statistics behind this crisis, their struggles of staying sober, the lengths they or their loved ones go through to get medication or treatment. It sheds light on a topic that can be met with judgment. In contrast, “The U.S. Opioid Epidemic” by Clair Felter focuses on data-driven information to raise awareness of the issue. Both articles highlight the demographic of non-Hispanic white Americans with the highest rate of overdose. The New York Times provides examples like Katie Harvey, who turned to heroin at twenty-one and has since been in and out of treatment programs, or Jordan, who blew his inheritance on heroin and has been on a sobriety journey since. Felter does not give examples but a potential answer to why, argued by economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton, they point to the wage stagnation and decline in job availability for drug overdoses. I do not believe this crisis was handled well, mainly because the first surge of opioid- related deaths should have immediately caused a reevaluation in its prescription, and preventative measures moving forward could have been implemented. People were essentially turned into addicts, and without proper care in place, they turned into skeletons. As the New York Times article mentions, rural communities such as Marshalltown, Iowa, or Huntington, Utah, do not have the necessary resources to provide care for recovering members. Andrea Steen had to take long commutes for the only treatment center in Marshalltown until two doctors got licensed to prescribe Suboxone, a drug that helps with withdrawal symptoms, but this is a luxury. Four Corners Behavioral Health Center is the only substance abuse facility near Huntington and is overwhelmed with calls daily asking for open space because they cannot afford other options (Seelye et al., 2017). This speaks to a more extensive issue of accessibility for those seeking help but are unable to get it; handling this crisis means ensuring everyone

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4 affected gets equitable and proper treatment. However, I think that treating former or current opioid addicts instead of criminalizing them is a fantastic response to the situation. The catalyst for the opioid epidemic started when people came to get help and treatment; our first step in avoiding like situations in the future is to address that situation. Prospective medical practitioners should be trained to prescribe opioids with more care and suggest alternatives, using opiates as a last resort. Along with this, they should explain to any patient who is requesting opiates why that may not be the best solution for them in the long run. It may be harder to do the latter two things as health insurance companies usually cover opiates vs. other medical tools. I would recommend advocacy to cover multiple treatment options for pain rather than just opioids from insurers. The last recommendation would be to allow more nonprescription opioid antagonists, such as Naloxone, that allow immediate withdrawal treatment, especially in places where access to medication, rehab, doctors, etc., is low. As opioid addiction continues to rise, our American society loses its citizens to the eventual fate of taking the medication. Treatment is the primary goal in helping past or current addicts, but not everyone can get access to effective treatment, or they have to jump through hoops to get them. As our society grapples with this, treatment centers should be implemented into communities with high opioid addiction rates and no readily available treatment facilities. A focus on opioid addiction education for the public to help raise awareness of its dangers could be a helpful step in influencing people before it is too late. Opioid overdose is becoming something of a norm, with mortality rates increasing from pharmaceutical, heroin, or fentanyl opioids. The only option is to keep fighting against it in the same way Katie, Jordan, and other recovering addicts continue to do every day.

5 References Felter, C. (2021, September 8). The U.S. Opioid epidemic . Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-opioid- epidemic#chapter-title-0-4 Seelye, K. Q., Medina, J., Johnson, K., Santos, F., Healy, J., Bosman, J., & Goodnough, A. (2017, January 6). Inside a killer drug epidemic: A look at America’s opioid crisis . The New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/us/opioid-crisis-epidemic.html