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Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

nytimes.com

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Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#11

Post by DanBC »

akuji1993 wrote: post #2

When I opened this, I thought they meant 72000 on the whole world. Nope, it's just the US. That's an unbelievably high number to me.

Look at the rate of opioid use in the US compared to the rest of the world.

The US consumes about 99% of the world supply of hydrocodone. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/03/15/ameri...

These figures are old (2015), but eye-opening.

http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/who-regional-office-americas-...

http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/sites/www...

http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/sites/www...

Here's EURO

http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/sites/www...

http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/sites/default/files/sites/www...

You can use that site to compare regions. http://www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/explore-data

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#12

Post by ryan-allen »

announcerman wrote: post #7

The amount of responsibility laundering that's happening is staggering. Is it the fault of the doctors for prescribing strong painkillers or the responsibility of lobbyists for keeping the status quo as it is. Or is it the responsibility of patients to not seek strong opiates for the smallest aches? On whom falls the blame for this?

A few documentaries I've watched suggest that the dosages as recommended by the drug companies are designed to induce withdrawal symptoms before the next dose is due during treatment, I'd wager that's a good way to induce dependence during the course of treatment.

The hypocrisy of the law when it comes to this is insane, but given how large the profits are and the power that money commands with lobbying, I'm not really surprised.

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#14

Post by baxtr »

announcerman wrote: post #7

The amount of responsibility laundering that's happening is staggering. Is it the fault of the doctors for prescribing strong painkillers or the responsibility of lobbyists for keeping the status quo as it is. Or is it the responsibility of patients to not seek strong opiates for the smallest aches? On whom falls the blame for this?

Many say that big Pharma corporations have a large share of the responsibility because they began promoting strong pain killers heavily, starting in the 90s [1]. Now it has become part of American culture (doctors, patients, pharmacistse etc) to treat any pain with these pain killers. It’ll cost a lot and take a long time to reverse that [2]

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622774/ [2] https://www.vox.com/2017/6/5/15111936/opioid-crisis-pain-wes...

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#15

Post by spinach »

geomark wrote: post #6
bumholio wrote: post #3

I cannot but wonder if North Americans feel responsible in the least for what their voracious appetite for drugs is doing south of the US border. Mexico has become almost ungovernable, the drug trade being one of the main factors driving the decline.

I think a large number of those drug overdoses are legal drugs that come from big pharma. The abusers of those drugs certainly don't feel anything about the Meican drug trade.

Read the article?

"Analysts pointed to two major reasons for the increase: A growing number of Americans are using opioids, and drugs are becoming more deadly. It is the second factor that most likely explains the bulk of the increased number of overdoses last year."

And they are becoming more deadly because the street drugs are being laced with fentanyl.

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#16

Post by simula67 »

> Analysts pointed to two major reasons for the increase: A growing number of Americans are using opioids, and drugs are becoming more deadly. It is the second factor that most likely explains the bulk of the increased number of overdoses last year.

So, the increase in deaths is likely because of drugs becoming more deadly. How are drugs becoming more deadly ? It seems like this is how:

> Strong synthetic opioids like fentanyl and its analogues have become mixed into black-market supplies of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and the class of anti-anxiety medicines known as benzodiazepines. Unlike heroin, which is derived from poppy plants, fentanyl can be manufactured in a laboratory, and it is often easier to transport because it is more concentrated.

> In some places, the type of synthetic drugs mixed into heroin changes often, increasing the risk for users

So, preventing this blending of drugs could potentially improve the situation

> The number of opioid users has been going up “in most places, but not at this exponential rate,” said Brandon Marshall, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. “The dominant factor is the changing drug supply.”

Not sure how this happens is explained in the article, but that could potentially be another attack vector

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#17

Post by SquareWheel »

ryan-allen wrote: post #12
announcerman wrote: post #7

The amount of responsibility laundering that's happening is staggering. Is it the fault of the doctors for prescribing strong painkillers or the responsibility of lobbyists for keeping the status quo as it is. Or is it the responsibility of patients to not seek strong opiates for the smallest aches? On whom falls the blame for this?

A few documentaries I've watched suggest that the dosages as recommended by the drug companies are designed to induce withdrawal symptoms before the next dose is due during treatment, I'd wager that's a good way to induce dependence during the course of treatment. The hypocrisy of the law when it comes to this is insane, but given how large the profits are and the power that money commands with lobbying, I'm not real…

Honestly, that sounds very conspiratorial and baseless. It assumes doctors are idiots and drug producers are comic book villains. Reality is more nuanced.

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#18

Post by toomanybeersies »

As a comparison, the road toll in the USA is 33,000 per year. Firearms kill about the same number (including 20,000 suicides).

3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks.

72,000 overdose deaths is just a staggeringly large number.

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#19

Post by geomark »

spinach wrote: post #15
geomark wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a large number of those drug overdoses are legal drugs that come from big pharma. The abusers of those drugs certainly don't feel anything about the Meican drug trade.

Read the article? "Analysts pointed to two major reasons for the increase: A growing number of Americans are using opioids, and drugs are becoming more deadly. It is the second factor that most likely explains the bulk of the increased number of overdoses last year." And they are becoming more deadly because the street drugs are being laced with fentanyl.

"...drugs are becoming more deadly." I guess they are referring to street drugs(?) which are becoming more deadly for the reason you pointed out.

At the same time the news is constantly full of stories about a rise in opioid overdoses.

Re: Bleak New Estimates in Drug Epidemic: A Record 72,000 Overdose Deaths in 2017

#20

Post by oldgradstudent »

SquareWheel wrote: post #17
ryan-allen wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few documentaries I've watched suggest that the dosages as recommended by the drug companies are designed to induce withdrawal symptoms before the next dose is due during treatment, I'd wager that's a good way to induce dependence during the course of treatment. The hypocrisy of the law when it comes to this is insane, but given how large the profits are and the power that money commands with lobbying, I'm not real…

Honestly, that sounds very conspiratorial and baseless. It assumes doctors are idiots and drug producers are comic book villains. Reality is more nuanced.

Sadly, assuming by default (until proven otherwise) that doctors are idiots, and drug producers are comic book villans may be the smart thing to do.

http://www.latimes.com/projects/oxycontin-part1/

> Purdue has known about the problem for decades. Even before OxyContin went on the market, clinical trials showed many patients weren’t getting 12 hours of relief. Since the drug’s debut in 1996, the company has been confronted with additional evidence, including complaints from doctors, reports from its own sales reps and independent research.

Or

https://study329.org

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