Opiate epidemic’s problems growing regionally, nationally
Recently, there has been much concern regarding the alarming statistics of opiate use, both prescription medications and illicit opiates, such as heroin. When used as directed, prescription pain medications are an important component of pain management. However, when misused or abused, they can lead to serious personal consequences, including health problems, addiction, and even death.
Frighteningly, more people are losing their lives to prescription drug overdoses than ever before. It is a growing problem throughout the United States and has shown its horrible effects here in Rhode Island, with 37 overdose deaths (preliminarily) in just the first quarter of 2017, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). For 2016, there were 336 overdose deaths according to the RIDOH, with over 1,000 deaths in the past five years. We are saddened by the loss of so many, who leave friends, family members, neighbors and coworkers, to grieve and make sense of the loss. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rhode Island has one of the highest overdose death rates per capita in the United States.
Nationally, according to the CDC, heroin-related deaths more than tripled from 2010 to 2015, with the largest increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (other than methadone), such as Fentanyl. Statewide in 2016, Fentanyl, a synthetic opiate approximately 100 times more powerful than morphine, has been involved in over 56 percent of the RI overdose deaths according to the RIDOH statistics.
In Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo has been active in the fight against this opioid epidemic. The governor has created a task force, which has studied this epidemic and has created an overdose prevention action plan that focuses on prevention, rescue, treatment and recovery. Within this plan, there are strategies that monitor and ensure safe prescribing practices by physicians; increase access to Naloxone as a means of rescuing from an overdose and saving lives; ensuring that everyone has access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), such as Methadone and Buprenorphine; increase availability of recovery services, including recovery coaches and access to treatment options.
In an effort to decrease access and diversion of pre- scription medications, prevent overdose and save lives, there are strategies that are being implemented locally: Community Take-Back event, scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Woonsocket Police Department and CVS Health on Cass Avenue in Woonsocket; a 24/7 permanent disposal bin at the Woonsocket Police Department, 242 Clinton St.; ongoing Naloxone distribution and trainings that are free and open to the public; the Serenity Center, and a drop-in recovery and resource center, located at Community Care Alliance, 245 Main St. There is also a statewide support line available to speak to a licensed counselor, all day, everyday, 942-STOP (7867).
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the majority of people who use prescription pain medications that are not prescribed to them report getting them from a family member or friend. In fact, just by having prescription pain medications in your home can put your family at risk. So, just as pharmacies are required to protect and take inventory of their medications, so should all of us as consumers. Proper storage and disposal of all medications is essential to the health and safety of your home, loved ones and guest. So, please, know what medications you have in your home and make sure they are not accessible to anyone who should not have them …store them out of the reach of children, family and guests and secure them in a locked location if possible…try to keep your medications in their orig- inal container with the label attached …learn how to dispose of them properly…and take a minute to gather expired, unused and unwanted medications, including overthe-counter medications, and remove them from your home by dropping them off in a disposal bin…no paperwork, no questions.
For more information on opiate overdose prevention, opiate treatment options and recovery, please call the Woonsocket Prevention Coalition at 766-3332 or call the Support Line at 942STOP (7867).