Every day, more than 115 Americans die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids – including pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids, is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as the social and economic well-being of millions. The Opioid Crisis is arguably one of the most dramatic, complicated and frightening crisis facing our country today. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement. But how did it start? How did we get here? What are we, as a nation, going to do to help those millions of people addicted? Join me to hear from two women who know quite a bit about this complicated subject and who are more than willing to share their thoughts about how we got here and what needs to be done to help fix it. This show made possible due to the generous support of Tucson Medical Center.

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 INSIGHTS

  • The statistics surrounding the opioid crisis in America are staggering. Wondering why we should all care about this epidemic and what is has to do with sustainability of our planet? Join us to hear more!
  • What is an opioid? From where is it derived? What is the difference between an opioid and a narcotic? We get clarity on this podcast!
  • There can be confusion between a prescription to cure an illness and a prescription for pain
  • 115 people are dying from opioid addiction daily in America. The number of prescriptions for these types of pain medication are going down – now at the levels found in 2006 – but there is more work to do.
  • What realistic conversations can we have about pain and managing pain – and what pain really means. Pain is part of the healing process! It is your body’s method of letting you know what is happening and how it is healing. When we take pain medications – what are we shutting down that is part of our natural process?
  • Men are twice as likely as women to become addicted to opioids and this is largely a problem for white people. It is fascinating to understand all of the factors and demographics involved – do the deep dive with us on the facts and we can all open our eyes to understanding all pieces of this epidemic.
  • The impact of opioid addiction on children (born addicted and living with parents that are addicted) and the economy of our nation are important to understand. Join us on this podcast to hear more.
  • Alternative pain management is available – massage, supplements, physical therapty, etc. Want to hear more about marijuana as an alternative? We get the scoop on this podcast!
  • What is fentanyl and why is it rising up as a problem in the United States? Where is it coming from and why? Dr. Kloth and Dr. Marietta share really important information – join us.
  • An important part of this battle on the opioid crisis is the education of doctors. We need to make sure our doctors are kept abreast of what is happening in their communities – our doctors are ambassadors for good health and things that can make the community healthier are important for them to know.
  • Prevention and education around opioid addiction should begin no later than middle school. More resources and awareness for parents is an essential piece for successful prevention programs.

 GET INFORMED!

GET ACTIVE!

  • Listen to the January 2018 podcast with Dr. Kloth and Dr. Neesann: Anesthesia and Opioids: What We Need to Know
  • Live in the City of Tucson? Here is everything you need to know about medication disposal. Not in Tucson? Google Dispose-A-Med for your city!
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