Playing a deadly game of opiod roulette

The prescription painkillers and heroin epidemic we are facing is multi-faceted and complex. Multi-faceted due to many causes and conditions that drive an individual to become addicted to painkillers or heroin. It is complex because of all the moving parts that would be necessary to harness and decrease the availability of the these drugs. Opioids have become the worst public health crisis in decades.

First, we are experiencing health, social, and lethal consequences that have increased at an alarming rate directly related to this epidemic. Second, there are those shopping for painkillers (“frequent flyers”) seeking prescriptions, sometimes with daily visits to hospitals. Then, some of these individuals are selling those opioids on the street. Hence, we have non-fatal overdoses that are filling up emergency rooms across our state. Also, we have true addicts going to prison, which is costly and ineffective. Most unfortunately, we have the loss of lives that have impacted families with fatal overdoses. There are deaths due to drug deals that went horribly wrong. Also, there are some dying in jail, where one would think the addict would be safe.

One could easily point to pain, chronic physical or emotional pain, causing an individual to seek out prescription painkillers. And, no doubt, there are some who use those prescriptions for relief to continue working. Yet there are many who have become addicted with their original symptoms now overshadowed by the loss of control, cravings and use of more drugs. Opioids are very powerful, taking as little as two weeks for one to develop a tolerance. A tolerance causes some individuals to need more to get the same effect.

Even after a life-threatening overdose, it doesn’t stop 90 percent of people from getting refills for these powerful prescription painkillers. In addition, in 70 percent of the cases, the location where the patient got the refill prescription was the same place where the initial prescription was obtained that caused the overdose.

Prescription painkillers have opened the door to heroin abuse. Well over 50 percent of young people addicted to heroin started with them. They crushed them to snort or inject, which became a gateway to heroin use. And heroin is cheaper and easier to get than prescription painkillers. The health effects of heroin are extremely dangerous; the most obvious one is fatal overdose. Heroin abuse is also associated with spontaneous abortion and infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV. The list continues with a downward spiral to other health related issues that plague the individual.

Michelle Overstreet, the executive director of MyHouse, and the staff have witnessed first hand the real consequences of this epidemic. We have seen every possible up and down of this prescription painkiller/heroin problem: kids using drugs, being strung out and then having to detox in jail, a hotel room or even at Wonderland Park. And yes, we see the most devastating consequence — death.

We have to address this epidemic head-on with solutions that will make a real difference. First and foremost, we have to convince our state legislators to expand, strengthen and support the Alaska Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. This program will tighten the availability of prescription painkillers, decrease pills on the streets, and save lives.

This program will give doctors and hospitals access to a statewide web-based database to ensure who is benefitting and who is possibly just shopping, diverting (selling), or getting harmed from prescription painkillers. And, if the latter is true, the conversation can begin to drill down for an intervention, and assist getting treatment for the patient. Physicians need this vital information and tool to ensure the best patient care, with the best outcome. How can anyone argue with giving doctors and hospitals all the information and tools they need to ensure best practices and save lives?

Another idea to curtail this epidemic is “Drug Court.” We have Youth and Mental Health courts that work. This important addition would allow true addicts to get treatment. Treatment is more effective and costs less than prisons. States that are using drug courts are finding a recidivism rate of 20 percent for those that finished treatment. We have a 63 percent recidivism rate in Alaska, and for 18-24 year olds it is 75 percent.

We need to create a Statewide Opioid Task Force to seek other effective and cost saving solutions to solve this epidemic. This problem is not going to go away without everyone making their voice heard and say, ‘Enough is enough!’ It would be safe to say almost every Alaskan has been affected by this problem. This epidemic has ruined lives and taken lives away from Alaskan families. We are playing a very deadly game of roulette with painkillers and heroin. But, in reality, it is not a game when lives are at stake.

If you or someone you know has been personally and deeply affected by abusing prescription painkillers, addicted, or is recovering from heroin, please consider attending the MyHouse community meeting to sign two petitions to be submitted to the Legislature. These petitions, titled “END THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC”, will be sent to the Alaska House and Senate to urge them to take immediate action to ensure the safety, health, and lives of Alaskans. The MyHouse meeting will be Thursday, April 7 at 4 p.m. We are located on 300 N. Willow Street in Wasilla and our phone number is 373-4357/ All are welcome.

Michael P. Carson is a recovery specialist and vice president at MyHouse in Wasilla.