THE OPIOID CRISIS IN THE UNITES STATES OF AMERICA 

Opioid abuse is not a problem for the poor, a Hispanic issue, or an issue for blacks. It equally affects the lives of the poor and the rich, the whites and the blacks. While many would argue that it more directly crept at an unprecedented pace into white American houses, the issue's complexity is not easily contained in racially motivated agendas (McInerney, 2019). This article will review and respond to two peer-led research pieces to get to the bottom of the issue, which neither discriminates race nor social status in the United States of America. It will majorly focus on the evidence-based factors to overdoses, societal views, social factors contributing to overdoses, and the mitigating factors. 

Reading on the first peer-led article discusses the opioid crisis in the United States of America. Within nineteen years, the period between 1999 and 2018, close to 450 000 deaths associated with opioid abuse was recorded. Some of them succumbed among the 450 000 individuals due to consumption of illicit opioids and incorrect prescriptions. An opioid is considered a depressant due to its ability to depress individuals' central nervous systems abusing the substance. The depressant effect of this substance makes it so dangerous concerning the lethal overdose. In 2017, America alone recorded close to 70 0000 cases of lethal overdose linked to opioid abuse, making the substance's depressant effect one of the main factors contributing to opioid abuse and overdose in the country. 

The negative image of opioid overdose in society has made deaths associated with substance abuse less important than other naturally-caused deaths, such as deaths caused by medical complications like heart attacks. Furthermore, from society's perspective, drug addiction has received negative feedback, and no one is willing to help addicted individuals because they are seen as losers. According to the article, even a drug-addicted family member is disowned, and no person could even like to listen to them. 

In addition to the evidence-based factors, social factors also contribute to drug overdoses. Peer pressure and social crowds make drug addicts buy drug substances from drug dealers without knowing what is being offered to them. Unfortunately, a lack of knowledge about what is offered to the victim could lead to drug overdose since they don't understand what they are consuming. 

From the article, opioid abuse has caused massive deaths in the United States. It is also be noted that several victims may luckily evade that fate but end up having disabilities. It is therefore vital that mitigating factors should be stabled to cap the fatalities. These mitigating factors include creating training courses that aim to bring public awareness among the youth, the most affected group. Necessary legislation to cap the use and sale of drugs should be established (McInerney, 2019). Moreover, because of the societal perception of drug addicts, the government must make policies that will increase the number of rehabilitation centers to rescue already affected individuals. 

The second peer-led research starts with the fact that society has created a negative perception of drug addicts. The general public members have failed to understand the effect that the opioid crisis causes on society, thus neglecting the victims and terming them as losers. The evidence-based overdose factors include obtaining opioid prescriptions from different pharmacies, which may contradict each other, making its user easily experience an overdose. An intervention medication has been proposed by the paper which can help reverse an overdose.

References

McInerney, M. (2019). Three Essays on the Opioid Epidemic: Insurance, Treatment and Supply-Side Policy.