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In no more than 250 words, describe the problem, who is affected, and the current ramifications. Explain the consequences if the issue continues. |
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| The United States is battling a serious opioid epidemic that threatens the future of the health system and population. The opioid epidemic is a public health issue affecting the country and causing overdose deaths. According to statistics from federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2023), more than 1 million Americans have died from drug overdoses, with an increasing share of the deaths happening from opioids. For instance, in 2022 over 100,000 individuals died from drug overdose. As such, drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury mortality in the country, and surpasses motor vehicle accidents and gun violence. Additionally, opioids account for over 83,000 deaths from overdose. According to reports fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is the leading cause of the rising deaths among Americans aged 18 and 49 years. In their article, Truong et al. (2023) assert that the COVID-19 pandemic and economic insecurity exacerbated the situation with the opioid epidemic rising as more Americans used drugs during these times. The pandemic led to social isolation and prevented many individuals from seeking addiction treatment.
The majority of those affected by the opioid epidemic are American citizens, mostly those between 18 and 49 years. Apart from causing devastating loss of life in families and communities, the opioid epidemic accounts for close to $1 trillion in annual costs for the healthcare system and the criminal justice system (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2024). The country also loses productive population because of premature deaths emanating from the crisis. The continuation of this issue will lead to more deaths, a rise in spending on healthcare, and more people getting addicted leading mental health issues. |