Spilled prescription medication — Image by © Mark Weiss/Corbis
Well, I’m a little late to the punch on this one but National Drug and Alcohol Facts week has been going and ends tonight. This public awareness campaign is now in it’s seventh year and is all about shattering the myths about addiction.
I might as well throw my belated hat in the ring and share 5 facts about the opioid epidemic.
Fact #1: The opioid epidemic in the U.S. has hit all demographic groups, regardless of race, gender, age, location, or socioeconomic status.
Fact #2: Prescription opioid pain medications like oxycodone can be just as addictive as heroin, even if taken as prescribed.
Fact #3: There is no scientific evidence that prescription opioids are effective at managing chronic pain; they are extremely effect for short-term, acute pain.
Fact #4: Naloxone is a drug that counters the effects of opioids and can immediately reverse an overdose; you cannot get addicted to naloxone.
Fact #5: Buprenorphine and methadone are opioids that can help a person to fight their heroin addiction by satisfying their craving for the drug.
To learn more, here’s a short “Best of” from Dr. Simon Says Science on the Opioid Epidemic. Check out the posts below for oodles of info on opioids.
- What is naloxone? Should it be available over the counter?
- The CDC Fights Back Against the Opioid Epidemic
- Is Methadone an Effective Treatment for Heroin Addiction? YES!
- Morphine and Oxycodone Affect the Brain Differently
- Important: CDC Releases Report on Heroin Epidemic
- Methadone Maintenance Therapy Works-End of Story
- Paper Review-Initiation into Injection Drug Use and Prescription Opioids
- New Review Paper-The Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic
Dr. Simon Says Science (And More) 
The reason Methadone and Buprenorphine “satisfy” opioid cravings is because they are both opioids! They are longer acting with less peaks and valleys but it is a harm reduction method and does not address the substance use disorder.
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Exactly. I’ve discussed that in many other blog posts. They are a harm reduction technique and given the low percentage of people that actually can get off of heroin entirely, necessary for some people to function. That’s not to say they are the solution to the problem but a necessary tool for right now.
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