"The opioid epidemic that started in the late 1990s has taken a staggering toll. We have lost more people to drug overdoses than in all the wars since the beginning of the past century. Sadly, although the overdose deaths have come down, we are nowhere close to declaring the end of the opioid epidemic, as was the case in the 1980s. Looking back at the successes of the past can help us understand why we've in many ways failed this time around."
"The research into safer and more effective opioids continued, resulting in the development of an entirely new class of opioids called opioid antagonists. Naloxone, better known by the brand name Narcan, approved in 1971, was revolutionary. If given in time, naloxone reversed the effects of every known opioid, from heroin to fentanyl. Moreover, naloxone had no opioid-like properties and therefore had zero abuse potential and no street value."
The opioid epidemic that began in the late 1990s has produced more overdose deaths than all wars since the beginning of the past century. Overdose deaths have declined but the epidemic remains far from over. The 1960s–70s heroin epidemic was driven by soldiers returning from Vietnam and by large heroin imports. That epidemic was contained by stopping heroin supply, restricting opioid prescribing, and expanding methadone clinics for addicted patients. Continued research created opioid antagonists; naloxone, approved in 1971, reversed all known opioids and lacked abuse potential. Development of naltrexone produced an orally effective antagonist to prevent relapse after detoxification.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]