Opioid Epidemic: Counties on the Front Line
This was originally printed as an opinion piece in the Bakersfield Californian.
By Leticia Perez
The recent confirmation that legally prescribed opioids caused the death of the iconic musician Prince has become an all too familiar tale for families across the nation. From the penthouse to the pavement, from the superstar to our children, this addiction can be deadly. Every 19 minutes we lose an American to opioid overdose. We must respond aggressively to this epidemic.
Americans comprise just 5 percent of the world’s population but consume 80 percent of the world’s prescription medication, much of it in the form of opioids for pain relief. Research shows that legal users can quickly move from ingesting medically safe levels for pain control to full-blown addiction. And once addicted, users often switch from legally prescribed medication to cheaper and more dangerous illegal street drugs.