It’s hard to wrap our heads around the opioid epidemic, especially if you or your family are excluded from those addicted to opioids or having faced any difficulties dealing with medication addiction or reliance. This limited exposure to opioid addiction is what is limiting the mindset of people all over the world, as to realizing just how badly the opioid epidemic really is.

There are those of you who have done your research, and may in fact be very educated in this area of our current crisis, but it’s important that all people know the details of the epidemic in order to band together to end it. In more ways than one, our entire nation [and even at the global level] is experiencing the hefty effects of such a terrible epidemic, and the details of its effects needs to be more widely spread.

THE DEATH TOLL

“In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1 That same year, an estimated 2 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers” (drugabuse.gov).

Many pharmaceutical companies, in the beginning [around the 1990s], had claimed that opioids weren’t addictive at all. Prescriptions were being handed out at higher rates because of this, and now, here we are.

CHILD SAFETY

According to CNN, “…the number of children admitted to hospitals for opioid overdose nearly doubled to 1,504 patients between 2012 and 2015, from 797 patients between 2004 and 2007”.

Not only may your children be subjected directly to someone who uses opioids, but their friends at school might be able to get their hands on some of their mom or dad’s medications, leaving your child susceptible to experimentation by peer pressure or simple curiosity. Even if you are keeping your own home safe, the dangers of your children being exposed to opioids is growing every day. Without proper medication disposal, children at home are at high-risk to ingesting opioids left unattended.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

NPR conducted research showing that those with a pain medication use disorder missed 29 workdays in the past year, missed 22 workdays for injury or illness in the past year, 7 missed workdays for other reasons, and 42% worked for more than one employer in the past year.

Although research is still be conducted about the effects of the opioid epidemic on the economy, it is clear that opioid addiction has definitely impacted it. Many employers have noticed that many drug test fails are related to opioid use or abuse. This has also led to many employers not requiring a drug test, which may seem counterproductive and unsafe, but the workforce is getting desperate for workers, more and more every day.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Get involved. It cannot be stressed enough that in order to end the epidemic and help all of those areas and lives that it has impacted, we must work together to stop it. You can help by educating yourself further on its impact, properly disposing of unused and unwanted medications, and helping others to learn more about the epidemic.

At Rx Disposal, we give pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, personal homes, and other healthcare facilities the opportunity to help their communities and patients. With our product, NarcX, you can easily dispose of medications on site and render them immediately non-retrievable. This solution will help save time, money, and most importantly, it will help to save lives.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

https://www.npr.org/2017/09/07/545602212/opioid-crisis-looms-over-job-market-worrying-employers-and-economists

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/05/health/opioid-overdose-children-doubles-study/index.html

It’s hard to wrap our heads around the opioid epidemic, especially if you or your family are excluded from those addicted to opioids or having faced any difficulties dealing with medication addiction or reliance. This limited exposure to opioid addiction is what is limiting the mindset of people all over the world, as to realizing just how badly the opioid epidemic really is.

There are those of you who have done your research, and may in fact be very educated in this area of our current crisis, but it’s important that all people know the details of the epidemic in order to band together to end it. In more ways than one, our entire nation [and even at the global level] is experiencing the hefty effects of such a terrible epidemic, and the details of its effects needs to be more widely spread.

THE DEATH TOLL

“In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1 That same year, an estimated 2 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers” (drugabuse.gov).

Many pharmaceutical companies, in the beginning [around the 1990s], had claimed that opioids weren’t addictive at all. Prescriptions were being handed out at higher rates because of this, and now, here we are.

CHILD SAFETY

According to CNN, “…the number of children admitted to hospitals for opioid overdose nearly doubled to 1,504 patients between 2012 and 2015, from 797 patients between 2004 and 2007”.

Not only may your children be subjected directly to someone who uses opioids, but their friends at school might be able to get their hands on some of their mom or dad’s medications, leaving your child susceptible to experimentation by peer pressure or simple curiosity. Even if you are keeping your own home safe, the dangers of your children being exposed to opioids is growing every day. Without proper medication disposal, children at home are at high-risk to ingesting opioids left unattended.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

NPR conducted research showing that those with a pain medication use disorder missed 29 workdays in the past year, missed 22 workdays for injury or illness in the past year, 7 missed workdays for other reasons, and 42% worked for more than one employer in the past year.

Although research is still be conducted about the effects of the opioid epidemic on the economy, it is clear that opioid addiction has definitely impacted it. Many employers have noticed that many drug test fails are related to opioid use or abuse. This has also led to many employers not requiring a drug test, which may seem counterproductive and unsafe, but the workforce is getting desperate for workers, more and more every day.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Get involved. It cannot be stressed enough that in order to end the epidemic and help all of those areas and lives that it has impacted, we must work together to stop it. You can help by educating yourself further on its impact, properly disposing of unused and unwanted medications, and helping others to learn more about the epidemic.

At Rx Disposal, we give pharmacies, clinics, hospitals, personal homes, and other healthcare facilities the opportunity to help their communities and patients. With our product, NarcX, you can easily dispose of medications on site and render them immediately non-retrievable. This solution will help save time, money, and most importantly, it will help to save lives.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

https://www.npr.org/2017/09/07/545602212/opioid-crisis-looms-over-job-market-worrying-employers-and-economists

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/05/health/opioid-overdose-children-doubles-study/index.html