An interesting post was made on the DrugFree.org website related to a recent survey which found that the primary drug of abuse among “affluent” addicted women was prescription opioids or heroin.

The definition of affluent included those whose annual family income exceeded $100,000. Of those who entered treatment for their addiction, 61% of them identified prescription opioids as their predominant addiction problem. 

The survey found that 70% of those who developed an addiction reported that their initial use was related to a prescription of legal medications for the treatment of pain or emotional problems.

The opioid epidemic has shown how universal addiction problems actually are by transcending all types of assumed barriers and biases. Opioid addiction is a very clear brain disease and poses risk, even in prescribed legitimate uses, to those individuals with no prior addiction-related problems or high risk behaviors.

For individuals receiving prescription pain medication, it is imperative that they have a thoughtful and candid discussion with … Read more

Zohydro ER (extended release) is a new opioid-based pain medication just recently approved by the FDA and scheduled to be released for use in March of 2014. More than 40 healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, and physicians have come forward in a desperate appeal to the FDA to revoke the approval of Zohydro ER.

The medication is touted to be many times more potent than standard dosage hydrocodone, and the mounting fear is that Zohydro could lead to immediate abuse and overdose deaths across the country. This concern is in part stemming from the recent explosion in heroin use in the United States and the steady increase in opioid overdose fatalities that has emerged in the last five years.

One characteristic of Zohydro that presents increased risk is that it can be easily crushed and then snorted or injected. The medication was designed specifically for special pain management scenarios in which standard pain management interventions are not effective.

The manufacturers of … Read more

As has been widely documented in recent news media, heroin addiction is on the rise in the United States and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. From densely populated metropolitan cities to rural America, opiates are finding their way into schools, places of employment, and the upper socio-economic strata.

A well-written piece is just out in Charlotte Magazine profiling an intelligent 21 year old man by the name of Alex Uhler who succumbed to the pull of heroin, and sadly died of a fatal overdose. His story clearly illustrates a number of complex issues around addictive disease: the shame associated with being addicted, the extent some will go to conceal their addiction, and that it is an illness which impacts all people regardless of race, money, intelligence, or status.

The article addresses the increased presence of heroin in Charlotte, NC partly in response to the crackdown on, and scarcity of, prescription opioids. The extensive piece, by Lisa … Read more

There is increasing momentum building for opioid addiction treatment in response to the growing opioid addiction problem in the United States. Many teenagers and young adults who are being introduced to prescription opiates are at risk for developing a crippling drug dependency. The risk is increased as these youth discover that heroin is a relatively cheaper alternative than pain pills purchased on the street.

The Partnership at DrugFree.org has published a 36 page guide outlining opioid addiction and the therapeutic role that medication-assisted treatment can have even for teens and young adults. Methadone, suboxone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are highlighted in the guide with an accompanying description of each medication and its use in opioid treatment.

Opioid replacement therapy has historically been used as a treatment of last resort in adult populations. The dilemma is that a high percentage of opioid addicted individuals are unable to remain drug free with traditional models of treatment that do not include medication … Read more

A Reuter’s story was just released highlighting a large drug bust in New York City in which 25 people were indicted on drug charges including two physicians. The charges stem from evidence that a healthcare clinic called Astramed dumped $500 million in prescription opioids into New York City’s black market from 2011 through 2014. It is reported that a total of 5.5 million oxycodone pills were sold to local drug dealers via phony prescriptions. The Reuter’s article reports a federal indictment was issued in which 24 defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics.

This story is especially disturbing and comes on the heels of other recent stories in the news like the overdose death of Philip Seymour Hoffman and the death of 17 people in Pennsylvania who had used the deadly heroin and fentanyl mixture only weeks ago.

The opioid abuse problem in the United States is reaching unprecedented levels and is causing concern in segments of society that … Read more

Benzodiazepines are a classification of drugs primarily prescribed to treat anxiety and panic attacks. They have been in use for over thirty years and are typically utilized for short term periods from several days to three months maximum.

Benzodiazepines are sometimes administered just prior to medical procedures or surgery to help calm a patient. Common examples include valium, ativan, klonopin, librium, and xanax. These medications have also been used successfully on a short-term basis to help reduce alcohol withdrawal as patients undergo alcohol detoxification.

For opioid treatment programs, benzos present a particular risk due to the higher probability of abuse and overdose death when mixed with methadone, other opioids, or alcohol. Benzodiazepines depress the central nervous system and can shut down respiration when combined with other CNS depressants. This lethal drug combination has resulted in numerous accidental deaths – even among experienced drug users.

While limited and carefully monitored benzodiazepine use can be clinically justified in some cases, prescribing … Read more