Buccaneers SAIL Safe Accountable In Control Lead by Example

The Opioid Crisis in West Virginia Follow up lesson to your responses to the October Operation Prevention Virtual Field Trip

In October, we participated in a nation- wide virtual field trip Operation Prevention took us on a virtual trip to the southern portion of WV, which has seen its residents drastically affected by opioid use, abuse and addiction. Each Advisory group was asked to turn in a list of questions/comments about the opioid crisis. Overwhelmingly, staff and students stated that, at BUMS, we need to continue to talk about the risks of drug use and follow the response to the WV opioid abuse problem. Many concerns were raised and this lesson will attempt to address the most commonly asked questions.

Why do people use drugs? To feel good. (each type of drug results in a different set of effects from euphoria, relaxation, increased confidence, feelings of power, high energy) To feel better (lessen feelings of distress, anxiety, depression, anger, fear) To do better (improve cognitive, social or athletic performance) Curiosity, because others are “doing it” (to be independent from rules, to be a rebel, to fit in)

Is continued drug use a choice? The initial decision to take drugs is typically voluntary. However, with continued use, a person’s ability to exert self-control can become seriously impaired; this impairment in self-control is the hallmark of addiction. Brain imaging studies of people with addiction show physical changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. This means, as a person becomes addicted, their ability to choose to use lessens.

Why do some people become addicted and others don’t? No single factor determines whether a person will become addicted to drugs. Talk about what this chart means.

Why aren’t Doctors or pharmacies punished for continually prescribing massive amounts of opioids? The Charleston Gazette-Mail reported in December, 2016 how drug companies shipped nearly 9 million hydrocodone pills over two years to one pharmacy in the town of Kermit, West Virginia, population 392. Drug wholesalers distributed 780 million pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone in WV over six years. The 3 largest pharmaceuticals in the US have been ordered to pay over $150 million in fines and over $80 million in restitution to the state of WV. Several WV physician’s have had their licenses revoked as a result of their participation in over-prescribing opiates.

What about people who seek out huge amounts of prescribed drugs? The West Virginia Board of Pharmacy Controlled Substance Monitoring Program has a state wide database that now can identify “doctor shoppers” (people who go from Dr. to Dr. to gain pain medications). Patients who are considered “doctor shoppers” (a patient who receives 10 or more prescriptions for controlled substances and gets them filled by 5 different dispensers within a 6-month period) are refused their prescriptions and can be referred to law enforcement.

At this point, very little money has been directed to providing treatment. WV is working to control pharmacies, restrict Drs from overprescribing and there are even new recommendations from the FDA for Drs who do prescribe opiates. So far, there has been little change to the amount of addiction treatments available in WV. What do you think WV should do next? Please write down your group responses and submit them to one of your counselors. Feel free to add any questions.

resources https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains- behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction https://www.propublica.org/article/drug-distributors- penalized-for-turning-blind-eye-in-opioid-epidemic http://www.pharmacytimes.com/news/pharmacy- board-actions-decrease-doctor-shopping-in-west- virginia