The Rise of Synthetic Opioids and Their Impact on Overdoses

The Rise of Synthetic Opioids and Their Impact on Overdoses

For the first time in over three decades, the US in 2018 recorded a drop in the number of drug overdose deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Controlโ€™s annual survey. This decline came almost entirely from a decrease in the number of deaths associated with prescription opioid painkillers. While this is positive news, synthetic opioids continue to pose a significant concern, as their related overdoses are still on the rise.

Synthetic opioids have been a driving force behind the national opioid epidemic for over two decades. Despite the decrease, more than 68,000 people died from overdoses in 2018, surpassing the country’s peak annual deaths from car crashes, AIDS, or gun violence.

The nearly five percent drop was heralded as a reason for cautious optimism. It suggested that interventions to combat synthetic opioid overdoses may be having an effect. Investments in treatment programs and public awareness, along with new regulations that limit the amount of opioids doctors can prescribe in some states, appear to be contributing factors to this decline.

One notable aspect of the reduction in opioid overdose deaths is the surge in the availability and use of the opiate blocker Narcan, also known by its generic name Naloxone. This life-saving spray can revive individuals who have overdosed and has undoubtedly saved countless lives. The naloxone market generated $178 million last year, and it is projected to reach almost one billion by 2026.

Synthetic Opioid Overdoses: The Next Phase of the Opioid Crisis

Unfortunately, while there is good news in overall overdose statistics, deaths associated with synthetic opioids continue to climb. In the last five years, these substances have been responsible for approximately 95,000 deaths, accounting for about two-thirds of all opioid-related fatalities.

Synthetic opioids are often viewed as part of the โ€œthird waveโ€ of the opioid epidemic. The first wave was marked by a surge of patients prescribed painkillers. As prescriptions became harder to obtain, many patients turned to heroin, leading to the second wave. Eventually, when individuals developed a higher tolerance, they sought cheaper and more potent alternatives, increasing overdose deaths linked to synthetic opioids.

While some individuals intentionally seek out these powerful substances for their potency, many who experience opioid overdoses do so unknowingly when consuming them mixed with other drugsโ€”most frequently heroin, but also cocaine, meth, and counterfeit pills. Countless individuals who overdose on synthetic opioids had no intention of using them, as both naรฏve and experienced users alike are caught off guard by their lethal effects.

The integration of synthetic opioids into the larger supply of opioids has significantly contributed to the persistently high overdose statistics. Despite the overall five percent drop, the epidemic remains severe enough to affect life expectancy in the United States.

Finding Solutions

Alarmingly, the government has largely failed to implement significant measures to address the issue of synthetic opioids and their role in overdoses. Two bills proposed in Congress in previous years failed to receive any hearings. According to the Washington Post, it wasnโ€™t until 2017 that legislators passed a synthetic opioid-specific bill, years after receiving warnings about the dangers. In that time, over 67,000 Americans succumbed to overdoses related to synthetic opioids.

Nonetheless, the statistics demonstrate that interventions such as treatment can save lives. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) emphasizes the need for enhanced addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services as core components of their five-part plan to reduce synthetic opioid overdose deaths.

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