Katie Corlett was extaict after graduating from the University of Miami law school. It was a huge milestone for a young woman who had struggled through years of opioid addiction. She had a seemingly bright future after she took the bar exam clearing the way for her career as a lawyer. But tragically months later Corlett's life was cut short the victim of an (accidential) heroin overdose. The tragedy the 31-year old's death illustrates in stark terms the human toll America's prescription opioid and heroin crisis is taking on communities across the country. "Losing my child ripped my heart apart" said Katie's father Chip Corllett who is a recovering heroin addict himself. "My daughter saw me overdose and watched me go in and out of recovery."I know this drug addiction disease backward and forward and I know it is a killer".
Americans addicted to opioids
"Nowhere else in the world do they use opioids than the way we do in America. We are five percent of the world's population. We use 85 percent of the world's opioids." said Kelly Clark, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Opioid abuse in the uUnited States is an epidemic levels say health experts. The roots of the opioid crisis began with the rapid growth of prescription painkillers. Between 1991 and 2011 American retail pharmacies processed 219 million prescriptions for sales of brand name drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet and Oxycontin. Nearly 40 percent of Americans use opioids to manage pain according to a federal governemt study.
The impact of a flood of powerful narcotics is especially impacting the small eastern US state of Maryland. Its where politicians and health officials are scrambling to prevent overdose deaths and provide more treatment options for those addicted to opioids. Earlier this year Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency and opened an Opioid Operational Command Center.
The state reported more than 2,000 deaths from drug overdoses in 2016, a 66 percent increase from 2015 driven largely by deaths associated with opioids including heroin and Fentanyl. Its a potent drug 50 times stronger than heroin and drug dealers often mix it with heroin without the user's knowledge. Its one reason law enforcement officials believe overdose deaths from synthetic opioids like Fentanyl rose 73 percent in one year. The drug is made in labs in China and often shipped to the US via Mexico.
Troubling/challenging national public health crisis
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 183-thousand overdose deaths were attributed to prescription opioids since 1999. Experts says unlike previous drug crises, this one often began with the family doctor writing patients prescriptions for painkillers. "We’re the tip of the spear, we're writing the medications. And there's a lot of pressure on physicians through patient satisfaction scores that [patents say] 'I'm happy'. So, if I want a happy patient, I’m going to give you what you want." said Dr. John Dombroski, CEO of the Washington Pain Center.
Opioids can be great at blocking pain. But they come with severe side effects, and mixing with other drugs increases the addiction that drug manufacturers have downplayed for decades.
"We have a serious problem in this country in general with addiction. We have not treated it as the health disease that it needs to be. So for years we have let this problem get bigger and bigger and bigger." said Becky Vaughn a drug treatment specialist with more than 35 years experience.
And when those struggling with addiction couldn't get legal opioids, they moved to cheaper, illegal ones that are easy to find.
"Now addicts cannot buy pills on the street so now the next alternative is to get a $10 bag of heroin." said Don Maines with the Broward County, Florida Sheriff's Office.
Estimates suggest nearly two and half million Americans are addicted to prescription opioids and heroin. "All the younger kids are doing heroin. And when you ask them why, do you know what they say? Best feeling they ever felt." said Daniel Murphy, a recovering addict from Southern California who has seen heroin use skyrocket in the last two years.
America's opioid crisis is also taking a toll on families. Gary's Mendell son Brian was in eight different treatment programs. "Because of the shame he felt from society feeling like an outcast, he woke up that morning and took his life. And I would do anything to get that day back." said Mendell.
Now local and national efforts are gearing up to prevent similar tragedies. Experts say it's not just the sheer volume of addicts that's behind the push but, also, who the addicts are.
"It is now impacting suburban ((white)) teenagers and people that get the attention, where in the past many people of color and other minorities have also had these problems but it hasn't quite gotten the same attention." said Becky Vaughn, a drug treatment and prevention specialist.
From working with doctors and rethinking drug laws, to preventing new addictions and helping those already hooked, the anti-opioid campaign is tackling the problem on a multitude of fronts. States are clamping down on prescription opioid abuse by establishing drug monitoring programs. Some doctors who intentionally over prescribe painkillers have been arrested and jailed. Drug makers are now making their pills less prone to abuse and addiction. The Trump administration is pledging to end opioid abuse in America, a challenge especially since the nation's opioid epidemic by all signs is worsening.
