In 2010 alone it is estimated that 210 million prescriptions for opiates were dispensed.This would be enough to medicate every American 24 hours a day, for an entire month.
More than 12 million people admitted to abusing opioids by taking them for non-medical reasons.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,three out of every four heroin users sarted off as prescription opiate users.
Long-term use of opioids puts patients at risk of addiction. This is because people who use them usually develop a tolerance, which triggers the cycle of addiction. When this happens people need more of the substance to get the same ‘high’. The ever-increasing doses are the reason for overdosing.
Short-term effects of opiates can include diarrhea, sedation, delayed reactions, and vomiting. However, it is the long-term symptoms that are more of a concern. These can include:
- Gastric problems including constipation to bowel perforation.
- A weakened immune system.
- Medical issues related to injecting the drugs such as systemic infections, abscesses, and bloodborne illnesses.
- Respiratory depression
- Death
