Opioid Use Disorder is the newer clinical terminology (from the DSM5) used to describe the full range of opioid problems ranging from mild opioid-related use issues to severe opioid addiction.

The CDC reports that in 2017 there were 72,287 deaths from overdose in the United States. That is certainly an alarming statistic. Of that number, 49,060 of those deaths were from opioids specifically – just in 2017. By contrast, there were 58,200 U.S. fatalities that resulted from the entire Vietnam war.

The good news is that government funding for opioid treatment is finally entering the stream on a local level. Increasing numbers of methadone clinics and physicians authorized to prescribe buprenorphine are moving into America’s more rural areas, ones that have historically been severely underserved.

As treatment for Opioid Use Disorder becomes more readily available, people struggling under the constant pressure of addiction will have an opportunity to apply the brake, and to veer onto a new path of stability and recovery. That being said, it is estimated that presently only 1 person of 10 with an opioid use disorder has sought treatment. For many opioid addicted people, treatment made the difference between life and death.

Choose a new path is more than words for those that have truly done so. Addiction is a highly persistent disease, but change is possible. Commitment and action are the necessary ingredients in opening the door to a new life. Opioid Use Disorder, in particular, is successfully treated with medication assistance. Science, research, and life experience have fortunately reinforced this fact with perfect clarity. Please find a local treatment provider today!

A Presidential briefing on March 19, 2018 in Manchester, NH was used to announce that ADAPT Pharma has volunteered to provide, for free, the life-saving medication NARCAN® to all U.S. high schools, colleges and universities.

NARCAN® is a name brand overdose antidote (based on naloxone) that restores breathing and consciousness in opioid overdose victims typically within five minutes.

ADAPT Pharma offers a 40% discount off wholesale pricing on the Narcan nasal spray to Law Enforcement agencies and Firefighters as well as non-profit community based organizations.

Seamus Mulligan, CEO of ADAPT, commented in a company press release that ADAPT is committed to raising awareness of opioid overdose risks and distributing NARCAN® widely so that it will be available to bystanders and emergency personnel who can offer immediate help in the event of a crisis.