Ray's Round Up: The Opioid Crisis in Pennsylvania – A Problem for All Ages

There are many uncomfortable issues that individuals try not to think about too much, until it impacts your family.  For many families in Pennsylvania, one of those issues is turning out to be drug addiction.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) it is not the kind of drug addiction that has been immortalized as a part of the late 60’s counter-culture movement, or even the cocaine epidemic that impacted lives in the 80’s and 90’s.  This addiction crisis isn’t limited to younger people; it is impacting the entire population, including a significant number of older Pennsylvanians.

This problem is an addiction to opioids, which are medications used to relieve pain..  The advances in medications in the past few decades have enabled pharmaceutical companies to produce prescription drugs that are better able to relieve both severe and chronic pain.  When these medications are over-prescribed it is incredibly easy for individuals to become dependent on them.  This dependency can rapidly turn into an addiction and, in far too many cases, has led the addicted individual to irrational behavior. Stealing additional medication or falsifying prescriptions to obtain additional medication has become more common.However, instances of individuals turning to illegal drugs like heroin because it can provide the same sort of relief in a much more intense and dangerous fashion, has also become more prevalent among all generations.

Is this situation a crisis in Pennsylvania?  The facts and actions of governmental entities across the Commonwealth would indicate that it is.  The Pennsylvania State Coroners Association reports that seven Pennsylvanians die from a drug overdose every day. Since it can sometimes be difficult to get elected officials to agree on the color of grass, it is impressive to know that state officials have come together this year to fund programs to help Pennsylvanians avoid the dangers of opioid addiction and get help if they become dependent on these medications.  This year’s state budget included $20.4 million to combat the opioid and heroin addiction crisis in Pennsylvania. Through the establishment of 20 Centers of Excellence across the state, there will now be treatments coordinated  for those in need of help.

Last month Governor Tom Wolf also announced new guidelines for prescribing opioids.  Among the six recommendations announced by the Governor were special guidelines concerning using opioids when treating older adults for chronic non-cancer pain.  These guidelines will be voted on by a special session of the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine this month.

Of course this situation is not limited to only Pennsylvania.  The AARP Bulletin published an article last year highlighting the nationwide problem of over-prescribing pain medication to older adults, the history of how these medications were developed, and how they began to be overused. This article revealed a  startling revelation: The highest death rate for opioid overdoses occurs among the 45-54 age group. Additionally,and seven times more adults between the ages of 55 and 64 died from overdoses in 2012 than in 2003.

The opioid crisis is not a situation that is going to go away overnight.  But the shock that has impacted so many families across Pennsylvania and across the nation is resulting in action at the federal and state level.  Hopefully the more recognition that is given to this alarming situation, the more families and individuals will know there is assistance available.

 

“Ray’s Round Up” features updates on current state and federal issues by Ray Landis, AARP PA’s Advocacy Manager.