We need to spread TRUE education about how not to get addicted, to everyone from 10 to 90 years old. First, start with the goal of teaching people the pros and cons of prescription opioids. There are a lot of pros and a lot of reasons to take opioids. Explain how they work to bring pain and cough and diarrhea relief. Carefully explain how in each situation, overuse (using too long, not overdosing) brings nightmare side effects. Tell in no uncertain terms HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO STOP TAKING. Tell How to keep the drugs away from the patient and have someone else distribute them to him as needed.
Knowing the exact effects of opioids and taking those precautions, gives patients the wonderful benefits of the opioids with none of the life crushing harms.
Educating the non addict EXACTLY how these drugs need to be carefully used will PREVENT addiction and that is where to start. Tomorrow. It’s more important for us than teaching algebra.
Next educate addicts. This is much harder. During their addiction, and once they have been newly weaned. Educate them as to all the pitfalls of both legal and illegal forms, reach them. Force them to take literal written TESTS on opioids and addiction to prove they understand how opioids are working on them. Then give every addict people / agencies / online sources to get immediate help in crisis moments.
Eventually perhaps there should be addict “nursing home facilities” where people who had not gotten themselves free of abusing opiates would be locked in. It should keep them safe from themselves and each other, but it should not be a pleasant way to live, and they each should be motivated to attempt to get free of both the drug and the facility (by being ready for real life).
But education is entirely possible and should be very easy and not costly to do, if media methods offered public service time. Start with the non addicted and teach them how to not get addicted. Teach them how the “wonderful feeling” is fake and how it leads to hell. Teach them exactly how and when to stop their helpful pain relief.
I’ve had several major surgeries. Opium and I go way back. I know exactly how to stop pain meds, and when. Cold turkey, the VERY FIRST TIME I think, “well, it’s not hurting NOW, but I will take one for later.” BOOM, I don’t take another pill. Never had any problems if I stick to that.
We need more education for all types of prescribed meds. I run in to people all the time who don’t know the names of the meds they take nor what they are intended to treat.
It is literally, “the doctor told me to take it twice a day.” That’s it.
I fault the doctors primarily because the older demographic was raised that you just did what the doc told you to do without question.