Drug overdosing is the second leading cause of accidental deaths. If you haven’t already guessed, automobile accidents are the first. Unfortunately, not enough high school and college aged kids view this subject with the amount of severity it deserves. Between 1999 and 2004 the number of deaths caused by accidental overdose rose 62.5%. The majority of these deaths were people between the ages of 15 and 24. And we’re not talking inner city, strung out kids here –the greatest increase of overdose victims is found in rural areas across the United States. These kids aren’t ODing on heroine, but rather, prescription drugs. Oxycontin, Valium, Percocet, just about anything can be potentially fatal.
With so many people who die from drug overdoses every year and the rate at which the number seems to be rising every year, I can see that this epidemic is growing. What can we do to prevent more young people from accidentally killing themselves?
There are actually ways we can reduce the number of prescription drug overdoses that occur. Naloxone is an opioid receptor antagonist that can be injected to reverse an overdose. It is said to have absolutely no negative side effects at all. If Naloxone were given with any opioid prescription, perhaps more overdoses can be prevented. Some may argue that making this easily available may promote more people to use illegal drugs as well since Naloxone can stop a heroin overdose as well. The way I see it, however, is that even though their may be a cure for a disease, it does not mean that I want to get the disease just because I know there is a cure. Having a reversal to stop overdosing is a means of saving lives, not promoting drug use. If that were the case, why even market any type of medication since they have the potential to be abused?
Another important remedy would be to keep every community informed. People should understand every medication they are prescribed. Doctors often hand out scripts and do not inform the patient of every possible risk with that medication. Of course, if doctors took the time to go over every minor side effect and drug interaction, they may not have much time to treat many patients. Everyone should take responsibility for what they put into their bodies. Whenever a prescription is given, jump on the Internet and research the drug. Check on possible interactions with other medications and take the medication exactly as prescribed. Some believe that if they are not feeling better yet, they need to take another pill to speed up the process. I understand what it is like to be in immense pain and want to do anything to be able to stop that pain, but overdoing it will just cause more pain in the end.
In San Francisco, city officials have considered creating a “safe injection site.” These places exist in Europe and Australia, and there is even one in Canada. They were created to supervise drug users to make sure there is no needle sharing and they have been proven to reduce the number of overdoses and the spread of diseases. A place called Insite in Vancouver offers drug users a place where they can inject drugs safely and even find help with their addiction if that is what they want. Studies on these places have shown no increase in drug use in their cities while at the same time preventing deaths and the spread of Hepatitis C and AIDS.
The number of deaths caused each year by accidental overdoses should be some sort of indication that we need to find ways to prevent these deaths. These are accidents that can be prevented with education, effort, and preparation. Do not let someone you love fall victim to drugs, whether they be prescribed or illegal.
http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/80448/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overdose
http://alcoholism.about.com/od/prescription/a/overdose.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naloxone
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/507/san_francisco_ponders_safe_injec...
http://www.vch.ca/sis/
R.I.P. A.R.G. d. 6/13/08
They have a commerical on this. This boy has a box and he is explaining to the camera how his meds are for his hyserectomy,his broken hips etc. Kids are getting a hold of these also from their parents medicine cabinets. It is very sad to see this.
Nyquil used to be a huge problem in america as well. Many families lost their children because of it. Good blog but of course sad aftermath.
http://www.progressiveu.org/032913-lupus-uncureable-wait-what
Love comments? I do too!
Hmmm.... I am all about educating so of course docs should take the time, that or pharmasicts should, to tell a purchaser of the possibilities.
I do not think that Naloxone should be automatic for all risky pills. It should be an optional saftey for those who want it and the traing to use it. To hand it out would create alot of waste and cause prices to go up unfairly and rastically I am sure.
Those monitoring places in other countries seems like an interesting idea.
This reminds me, I better take my extra unused percocet to the pharmacy for disposal.
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
I didn't mean to give it out for free - most people getting these medications have usually have some sort of insurance or are paying for their prescriptions. The Naxolone should be prescribed along with the medication and paid for by the patient so that it can be on hand in case of an accidental overdose.