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By: Revanth Suresh
The opioid crisis is one of the biggest health problems in the United States today. Over the last 25 years, it has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and continues to affect families, communities and the entire country. To understand how this happened, it is imperative to look back at how the crisis began and how it has changed over time.
In the late 1990s, doctors started giving patients powerful painkillers like OxyContin. These drugs were made by large and certified companies that claimed the pills were safe and not very addictive. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Many people became addicted to these painkillers, despite it being recommended and prescribed by their doctors. As more and more people got addicted, the number of overdoses and deaths started to rise.
This caused the government to make it harder for people to get hold of these prescription opioids, so instead as an alternative people began using illegal drugs like heroin instead. Heroin was stronger and more affordable, but it was also more dangerous than painkillers like OxyContin. Later came fentanyl, a man-made opioid that is much stronger than heroin. Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can kill someone. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) data cited by USA facts, fentanyl is involved in most opioid-related deaths across the country.
This crisis has hurt millions of Americans. In 2021, the CDC reported that over 80,000 people died from opioid overdoses in just one year. Families have lost parents, children and siblings. What’s even worse is that large drug companies knew the risks of these drugs, but kept selling them to make money. The manufacturing company of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma, was fined over $8 billion for its role in the crisis.
We must take action to fight against this crisis, by having addiction treatment centers, mental health support, and education about the risks of opioids. People struggling with addiction need support and understanding rather than judgment. This addiction has turned into a must in people’s lives rather than a choice, which is why we humans need to work together to put an end to this crisis.
The opioid crisis began with prescription drugs and has grown worse with the rise of fentanyl. To protect our communities and save lives, we must take action immediately. This means holding companies accountable, educating people and giving help to those who need it. The longer we wait and prevent taking action, the more lives we risk losing as time rapidly passes.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
