effective strategies in addressing the opioid crisis

effective strategies in addressing the opioid crisis

Drug control has been a source of concern globally, particularly in the United States. The war on drug abuse begun during the leadership of President Richard Nixon, whose policies continue to be utilized to achieve various outcomes. Congress is involved in all facets of drug control policy by regularly providing funds to mitigate drug activities. The government has spent approximately $65 billion in enforcing drug control policies at the federal level. Notably, opium use and abuse were identified by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an epidemic. According to Florence, Luo, Xu & Zhou (2016), prescription opioids are responsible for at least 70% of overdose cases in the country. Currently, the opioid crisis is regarded as a common self-inflicted threat to the health of individuals under the age of 50 years. This crisis has been experienced in three waves, which entail death caused by natural prescription opioids, heroin overdose, and recently synthetic opioids. Thus, theories have been developed to formulate effective strategies in addressing the opioid crisis.

Opioid is a term used to describe a wide range of prescription pain treatments and illegal drugs such as heroin. The addiction to these pain medications leads to detrimental effects on the families based on the number of infants born to addicted parents or children who live in a household where people are addicted to drugs. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 44 individuals die daily in the US due to drug overdose. The majority of citizens consume hydrocodone, which is identified as a synthetic opioid drug extracted from codeine. This disaster is associated with the doctor’s realization regarding chronic pain. Further, the demand to prescribe opioid drugs by the pharmaceutical firms facilitated the increase in drug use over the last decade within the country. Thus, the belief in the physician’s judgments coupled with the ecstatic feeling associated with the medication, increases misuse and dependence.

In this regard, several guidelines and policies have been enforced to regulate pain management with an emphasis on both treatment and prevention. Nonetheless, the high rate of opioid-related deaths in the US every year has compelled the government to adopt new methods of interpreting the use and abuse of opioid theories. In an attempt to illustrate why individuals have become dependent on the medication, several relevant approaches were used to address the addiction. Neuroscientific theories are dictated by the effects of the pain medication on the brain since the drugs differently affect the endogenous and dopamine systems. Based on research, the endogenous opioid system has a vital role in both drug use and abuse because it is responsible for the urge to realize relief or euphoria. This theory is relevant to opioid addiction since it highlights the body responds and gains dependency to achieve the thrill associated with the drug.

Conversely, rational choice theory highlights why individuals voluntarily participate in self-destructive tendencies. This behavior manifests in continuous use of the drug, consumption of large amounts than required, or using the medication for more extended periods than recommended by the physicians. Based on Rummans, Burton & Dawson (2018), the majority of patients obtain the drug vial illegal means to satisfy their need to relieve pain or euphoria. This theory acknowledges that addiction influences people to act against their better judgment. Individuals have the choice of options that directly impacts their decisions and outcomes. Moreover, the rational choice theory also describes how rational people can become trapped in the abuse pattern to eliminate pain without prior regards present and future consequences. Thus, rational choice theory is relevant in addressing opioid addiction since choice is a factor that influences how individuals use and misuse medication.

Theories illustrate and predict different aspects which highlight why certain phenomenon is encountered and possible interventions to mitigate the problem. The majority of applicable theories offer guidance regarding conditions and circumstances through which a set of proposals apply in any context. Hence theories can assist in drafting effective policies since they analyse the users’ needs that led to addiction. For instance, patients’ consuming opioids initially use it as a prescribed pain reliever for different body conditions. The misuse of prescription medication has an impact on the adoption of dangerous opioids like fentanyl and heroin. Based on the reasons for exploitation, policies can be developed to deal with issues that opioid patients encounter in their addiction.

Furthermore, theories expose behavioural and social facets that influence how people interact and use their prescriptions. Behaviour is associated with classical conditioning which controls the development and continuity of addictive conduct. For instance, cue theory is a form of classical conditioning hypothesis that affects addictive behaviour among patients. A cue that was initially present during drug distribution will likely trigger a conditioned response. Socially, the researchers can gain clarity about peer influence and its impact on drug abuse. Thus, the developed policies will offer a holistic approach in determining how prescription medication will be administered based on behaviour and social factors.

In conclusion, drug control is critical to the United States government since the majority of individuals in prison are charged with drug related problems. Opioid is a pain medication that is currently responsible for the majority of deaths among people under the age of 50 years. Neuroscientific and rational choice theory are the most appropriate theories in addressing opioid addiction. Besides these theories are vital in policy formulation because they highlight the users’ needs and behavioral as well as social factors that influence the former’s drug use. Research should focus on providing permanent solutions to drug abuse to protect the health of the nation.