opioid epidemic Archives - Page 4 of 4

Arresting The Opioid Epidemic Includes Arresting Doctors, Nurses And Pharmacists

By Dr. John Rosa

The Opioid Epidemic Has Reached Crisis Proportions

As a country in an enormous crisis that is ending the lives of roughly 130 Americans every day, it’s a difficult problem to address. With 80% of heroin users stating they started with a prescription opioid it is clear that a majority of our epidemic was initiated by a medical system meant to protect us. Early on in the push to treat pain as the 5th vital sign doctors prescribing opioids were given false information that the medication was not addictive, and they were convinced by big pharma and the government to aggressively treat pain. For this reason, I give the medical system a pass during the first few years of over prescribing. The problem arises when the medical system turned a blind eye to dependency and addiction of their patient base and even worse there are way too many that let greed trump life. And now, it seems, instead of following the Hippocratic Oath, many doctors and other health professionals have become hypocrites.

Focus On An Area Where Addiction Has Taken A Heavy Toll

One way to put a stop to the problem is for law enforcement agencies to focus on the source of easy access to drugs. This has actually proved to be a somewhat successful strategy which led to the recent arrest of at least 60 “healthcare” individuals. As a recent article that came to my attention says, “Dozens of U.S. health care professionals have been charged for health care fraud schemes and illegally prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous narcotics in the latest federal enforcement action addressing the nation’s opioid crises. The crackdown involves 60 individuals, and more than a quarter million illegal prescriptions written in several states. The medical professionals include doctors, pharmacists and nurse practitioners.

Chronic pain affects 1 in 5 Americans.

Pain reduction and relief is a priority in the medical field. However, when you see a particular area of the county experiencing an alarming rate of opioid deaths, that might be an area to focus on when looking for the source of the problem. This is what the Department of Justice (DOJ) did when they focused on Appalachia, in an attempt to cut off the flow of too many opioids in an area where addiction has already taken a heavy toll.

As Brian Banczkowski who runs the DOJ’s criminal division told npr.org, “You can rest assured, when medical professionals behave like drug dealers, the Department of Justice is going to treat them like drug dealers.”

It’s a beginning, albeit a small one. As law enforcement looks more closely at all medical professionals prescribing opioids, distribution companies, pharma and its CEOs there will be more arrests. And more importantly, maybe we’ll arrest the problem of the untimely deaths of so many loved ones.

Examples Of Medical Professionals’ Criminal Behavior

Just in case you’re wondering how they do it, I’ve taken this example from the Department of Justice website. It’s pretty nefarious behavior for those that so many people trust with their lives. Here’s how one doctor operated. “A neurologist at an alleged pill mill was charged with conspiracy to dispense controlled substances and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The defendant allegedly pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances, including oxycodone, for patients whom he did not personally examine to determine medical necessity for the prescriptions, and pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances while he was travelling internationally. The defendant allegedly knew that certain of these patients used their Medicare Part D and Medicaid benefits to pay for the medically unnecessary prescriptions.”

The information on the website includes the following:

“Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. The Medicare Fraud Strike Force, including the ARPO Strike Force, has charged more than 200 individuals with opioid-related crimes.”

A Doctor Who Called Himself “The Candy Man” Faces 20 Years In Prison

Another recent case of arrest involves a New Jersey doctor who called himself “candy man” and “El Chapo of opioids.” According to NBC News, “He is accused of distributing opioids without a legitimate medical reason and falsifying medical records to cover it up, according to federal prosecutors. The court documents go on to allege that Delagente allowed patients to ask him for controlled substances via text message and would write a prescription for patients that he would leave at the front desk, without requiring an office visit or consultation of any kind.”

You Can Help

It’s time to put an end to this madness. If someone you love is dependent on or addicted to opioid drugs, please seek help before it’s too late. If you would like to learn more about the Opioid Crisis as it relates to awareness, prevention and treatment or schedule a corporate or organization seminar contact us at DrJohnRosa.com. Here you will learn how to connect with the leading experts on the crisis and how to help your community stay safe.

National Opioid Crisis Expert, Dynamic Speaker And Author, Dr. John Rosa Tells Readers America Has Been Drugged And Duped

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert, author and dynamic speaker, gives readers a remarkable and shocking statistic that shows how Americans have been duped into thinking a highly addictive drug can cure pain and suffering.

ROCKVILLE, MD. March 18, 2019: Dr. John Rosa, dynamic speaker, national opioid crises expert, and co-author of The Recipe for Success with Jack Canfield, posted a new blog on his website entitled, “America Has Been Duped Into Believing Pills Can Cure Pain And Suffering.” Dr. Rosa turns his attention and guides his readers to the source of the duping.

Dr. Rosa states, “When I do speaking engagements, I like to grab my audience’s attention with a startling fact.” He adds, “The sad thing is that the same startling fact has been the same during all the years I’ve been traveling and speaking to corporations, organizations and groups.”

According to Dr. Rosa, the shocking fact is, “The U.S. is roughly 5% of the world population, yet we consume 90% of all the opioids in the world.”

“Think about that,” says Dr. Rosa. He adds, “This fact screams to me that, 1. The rest of the world has no pain, or 2. We’ve been duped. That’s right. We’ve been duped by a medical community that wants everyone to believe that pain can be relieved by taking a pill.”

“But, what about the rest of the world?” He asks, “Why aren’t they suffering?” He concludes, “They aren’t suffering because they do not turn to drugs for pain relief. They turn to the methods that have been used for thousands of years: acupuncture, diet, herbs, massage and other methods that our society considers “alternative”.” As Dr. Rosa points out, “The truth is that modern medicine is truly “alternative.” Traditional methods of healing have been suppressed and we as a society have been duped.”

Read the entire blog at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/america-has-been-duped-into-believing-pills-can-cure-pain-and-suffering/

About Dr. John P. Rosa

Dr. Rosa is the Owner/manager of 14 health clinics in the Baltimore/Washington DC metro areas concentrating on musculoskeletal injuries of acute, subacute and chronic nature. He oversees the Integrative Medicine practice group which includes general medicine, Chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture and behavioral medicine that sees over 60,000 patient visits per year.

Active in sports medicine with consulting/treating college, professional and Olympic athletes. Creator of 24/7 RnR (Relief and aiding Recovery) an FDA approved analgesic cream. Founder of Accessible Wellness Solutions – an onsite corporate wellness program offering consulting, lectures and clinic management.

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

Opioid Crisis Expert and Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, Dr. John Rosa Questions The Benefits Of Seeing Addicts Overdosing On TV News And Social Media

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert and owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, talks about how law enforcement agents as well as complete strangers are capturing overdoses on cameras and posting to social media and news stations and wonders whether the effects are doing anything to bring the epidemic to an end.

ROCKVILLE, MD. March 4, 2019: Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics and opioid crises expert, Dr. John Rosa, posted a new article on his website entitled, “The Opioid Crisis Goes Live On TV And Social Media,” in which Dr. Rosa questions whether this new trend is helping or hurting the opioid crisis.

Dr. Rosa states that, “More and more law enforcement offices throughout the country are wearing body cameras and capturing people overdosing live.” He continues adding, “These videos are ending up on local as well as national news shows and are going viral on social media. For some, this publicity comes as a wake-up call. – maybe not so welcome, but a wake-up call nonetheless.” “For others,” says Dr. Rosa, “this kind of unexpected publicity presents just another harsh episode in an already untenable life. But, with the opioid crisis continuing to grow and the prevalence of video equipped smart phones and the popularity of social media, “ he says, “we can expect the coverage and the humiliation to continue.”

“Imagine seeing your mom or dad, your brother or sister, your son or daughter or someone you know and love on the evening news, passed on, overdosed and possibly even dying right before your eyes,” says Dr. Rosa. He adds, “Imagine not knowing and finding out this way that your loved one is doing drugs. That is the case in some instances. Imagine seeing yourself this way.”

Dr. Rosa talks about a series in The New York Times, called Hooked In America. Dr. Rosa says in the article, “it was stated that not only law enforcement but also “strangers with cameras have started posting raw, uncensored images of drug users passed out with needles in their arms and babies in the back seats of their cars The videos rack up millions of views and unleash avalanches of outrage.””

According to Dr. Rosa, “Without question public humiliation has its effect on the addicted exposed on TV and/or social media. But, whether the effect is positive or not is the debate. By filming the overdoses and sending them to the news media, police departments say they are simply trying to reveal the brutal reality of what they see every day.” Dr. Rosa also states, “This is all wrong and only fuels the flames of stigma. Most people will view these videos and say, “look at what these people are doing to themselves.” My dream with every fiber of my heart and soul is to have people see such videos and say, “Look at what we did to you all.”

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/the-opioid-crisis-goes-live-on-tv-and-social-media/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

The Opioid Crisis Goes Live On TV And Social Media

By Dr. John Rosa

More and more law enforcement offices throughout the country are wearing body cameras and capturing people overdosing live.

These videos are ending up on local as well as national news shows and are going viral on social media. For some, this publicity comes as a wake-up call. – maybe not so welcome, but a wake-up call nonetheless. For others, this kind of unexpected publicity presents just another harsh episode in an already untenable life. But, with the opioid crisis continuing to grow and the prevalence of video equipped smart phones and the popularity of social media, we can expect the coverage and the humiliation to continue.

What A Way To Find Out Your Loved One Is On Drugs

Imagine seeing your mom or dad, your brother or sister, your son or daughter or someone you know and love on the evening news, passed on, overdosed and possibly even dying right before your eyes. Imagine not knowing and finding out this way that your loved one is doing drugs. That is the case in some instances. Imagine seeing yourself this way.

The New York Times published a 3-part series on the opioid crisis called Hooked In America, in which it was stated that not only law enforcement but also “strangers with cameras have started posting raw, uncensored images of drug users passed out with needles in their arms and babies in the back seats of their cars The videos rack up millions of views and unleash avalanches of outrage.”

Public Shaming To Help End The Epidemic Is Questionable

Without question public humiliation has its effect on the addicted exposed on TV and/or social media. But, whether the effect is positive or not remains iffy. By filming the overdoses and sending them to the news media, police departments say they are simply trying to reveal the brutal reality of what they see every day.

According to the New York Times article, deputy director of policy and planning at the Harm Reduction Coalition, an advocacy group, Daniel Raymond says, “We’re showing you this video of them at the worst, most humiliating moment of their life. The intent is not to help these people. The intent is to use them as an object lesson by scapegoating them.”

The horrific images of addicts overdosed with their young children crying as their parents are passed on in retail stores or in the back of overheated cars may serve to prevent some people from every taking drugs of any kind. However, are these images serving to put an end to the opioid epidemic?

The answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT!

What this process does is fuel the stigma associated with this disease. It is the reason that only one in ten suffering from addiction seek help. The stigma and humiliation that these people feel only causes them to look for another escape and continue to use. A recent poll showed that almost 70% of our population blames the addicted for the problem. This is all wrong and only fuels the flames of stigma.

If 80% of heroin users started with a prescription medication, then you tell me who is to blame?

The people, for the most part have been duped by a system that was meant to protect us. Most people with view these videos and say, “Look at what the people are doing to themselves.” My dream with every fiber of my heart and soul is to have people see such videos and say, “Look at what we did to you all.”

The real question is, “how do we as a nation put an end to the desire to solve pain and problems with a pill?”

Prevention

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Even though he said that in 1736 when Philadelphia was burning, it is equally applicable to today’s opioid epidemic. How do we prevent doctors from prescribing opioids for pain relief? How do we impress upon those in pain that there are other, safer, healthier roads to pain-free living?

If you, or someone you love is dependent on or addicted to opioid drugs, please seek help before it’s too late. If you would like to learn more about the Opioid Crisis as it relates to awareness, prevention and treatment or schedule a corporate or organization seminar contact us at DrJohnRosa.com. Here you will learn how to connect you, your company or organization with the leading experts on the crisis and how to help your community stay safe.

No Federal Limits To Marketing Opioids Gives Pharma Companies Free Rein

By Dr. John Rosa

The pharmaceutical companies that make opioids are given free rein to market their drugs wherever they please despite the fact that this country is experiencing a tragic opioid epidemic.

The reason I bring this up is that a new study has shown that the areas of our country hardest hit by the opioid epidemic are the exact regions where pharmaceutical companies marketed prescription opioids.

According to the study, “In one county, doctors received about 31 times the national average of direct marketing from pharmaceutical companies between 2013 and 2015, even as the opioid epidemic claimed lives in the same area.” In addition the study found that, “increases in marketing were associated with higher prescribing and a higher rate of overdoses from prescription opioids.” The new research was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Network Open journal (Jama).

Addiction To Wealth And Power More Important Than Life

The addiction to wealth and power is allowed to proliferate despite the deadly and tragic results. This all-consuming addiction to greed is profoundly affecting the health of our country, yet it is allowed to continue without restraints.

It is painfully obvious that the desire for wealth and power supersedes the desire to preserve lives. To prove this, “the recent study found an association between pharmaceutical company marketing of opioids and higher rates of death from opioid overdoses one year later. Researchers examined more than $40m in drug company marketing, directed at 67,500 physicians across more than 2,200 counties nationally between August 2013 and December 2015.”

Meanwhile The Bodies Pile Up

Despite the gravity of the opioid addiction problem, there are no laws being cobbled together to prevent pharmaceutical companies from freely marketing their products. Unlike the tobacco and liquor industries, pharmaceutical companies remain untouched for the trail of death they leave behind in the wake of their marketing efforts.

If you’re not convinced, just take a look at the following statistics from the CDC, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services which reveal the gravity of the problem.

1. In 2016, health care providers across the US wrote more than 214 million prescriptions for opioid pain medication—a rate of 66.5 prescriptions per 100 people.
2. As many as 1 in 5 people receive prescription opioids long-term for noncancer pain in primary care settings.
3. More than 11 million people abused prescription opioids in 2016.
4. Every day, more than 1,000 people are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription opioids.
5. More than 40% of all US opioid overdose deaths in 2016 involved a prescription opioid.
6. Drug overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 64,000 Americans in 2016. Nearly two-thirds of these deaths (66%) involved a prescription or illicit opioid.
7. The CDC estimates the total economic burden of prescription opioid misuse in the US is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of health care, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.

If You Want Help

Lack Of Understanding About Addiction Leads To Not Caring

By Dr. John Rosa

Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs—or to anything for that matter.

Addiction is addiction whether it is perceived as a positive or negative addiction. Most people think those who are addicted to drugs and or alcohol lack moral principles. They think those souls should exercise greater will power and that stopping is just a matter of choosing.

If anyone has been addicted to over-eating or consuming chocolate or addicted to work at the expense of their families and friends are engaged in addictive behavior. And all addiction starts in the brain.

Just Say No

Drugs actually change the brain in ways that makes quitting difficult. Drug addiction is a complex disease and more often than not, quitting – even for those who really want to quit – takes more than good intentions. Once an addiction has taken hold, just saying no is rarely good enough.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. These brain changes can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is considered a “relapsing” disease—people in recovery from drug use disorders are at increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the drug.”

Doctor Prescribed Addictions

It has been reported that more than 11.5 million people misused prescription pain medicine in 2016. In addition, 48.5 million Americans have used illicit drugs or misused prescription drugs. And those numbers only reflect the people who were willing to admit to using drugs. It is thought that those numbers are much higher. Drug and opioid addiction are not new to this country. The history of our country’s addiction to drugs goes back 150 years when heroin, morphine and codeine were widely prescribed to treat battle wounds after the Civil War.

Today’s epidemic was brought on in part by excessive prescription of opioid painkillers after Purdue Pharma brought OxyContin to the market in 1995 and then aggressively promoted the drug as a pain-relieving godsend that boasted a low risk of addiction. And the sad truth is that knowing what we know they, they are still allowed to make and prescribe this drug.

New Opioid Killer 100 Times Stronger Than Heroin

In 2011, oxycodone ranked first in cause of drug related deaths. From 2012 to 2015, it was heroin, and in 2016, fentanyl, the relatively new kid on the block. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), is 80 to 100 times stronger than heroin or cocaine.

We’ve lost too many of our young to this epidemic. We’ve lost many talented people who gave of themselves to the world. Until it hits close to home, most people will continue to think that those addicted to opioids have a choice and that they could just simply quit. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our country needs a much deeper understanding of the effects of opioids on the brain. We need greater early education. We need to make it unappealing to try drugs in a similar way that the tobacco industry has finally made smoking unappealing.

Awareness Leads To Understanding

We need to educate people and doctors that there are other ways of treating pain that does not require pills. We need to wean our society off the idea that there is a magic pill for whatever ails you. Understanding and awareness must always come first before anything can change. I am on a mission to bring that awareness to as many individuals and organizations as I can.

If you, or someone you love is dependent or addicted to opioid drugs, please seek help before it’s too late. If you would like to learn more about the Opioid Crisis as it relates to awareness, prevention and treatment or schedule a corporate or organization seminar contact us at DrJohnRosa.com. Here you will learn how to connect you, your company or organization with the leading experts on the crisis and how to help your community stay safe.

Opioid Crisis Expert and Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, Dr. John Rosa Warns Readers That The Holidays Will Be Heartbreaking For Many Families

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert and owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, talks about the newly released opioid death statistics which he brings to life by predicting that hundreds of Americans will suffer a heartbreaking holiday season as a result of the growing epidemic.

ROCKVILLE, MD. December 20, 2018: Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics and opioid crisis expert, Dr. John Rosa, posted a new blog on his website entitled, “Hundreds Will Have A Heartbreaking Instead Of A Happy Holiday Season,” in which Dr. Rosa posts recently updated opioid death figures from the Centers for Disease Control.

Dr. Rosa writes, “I can’t tell you who those dear souls will be, but with opioid overdoses at an all-time high, there are more than 200 people dying every single day in this country. So, it’s a fact that many families are going to be grieving instead of celebrating this holiday season.”

“At the end of November,” says Dr. Rosa, “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new figures showing that “drug overdoses killed more than 70,000 Americans in 2017, a record.” The report states that, “Overdose deaths are higher than deaths from H.I.V., car crashes or gun violence at their peaks. The data also show that the increased deaths correspond strongly with the use of synthetic opioids known as fentanyls.”

Dr. Rosa points out that, “While a majority in this country who are Christians will be celebrating the birth of Jesus, hundreds will be mourning the death of someone who brought light, love and laughter into their lives. The most heartbreaking thing of all is finding a way to stop the rising death toll, to stop the addiction.”

Read the entire blog at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/hundreds-will-have-a-heartbreaking-instead-of-a-happy-holiday-season/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction

Opioid Crisis Expert and Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, Dr. John Rosa Urges Readers To Refuse Opioid Pills For Pain Management

Dr. John P. Rosa, opioid crisis expert and owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics, addresses the beginning of the use of opioids for pain management and what we know today, clarifying that reversing the trend is not going to happen with another pill.

ROCKVILLE, MD. November 29, 2018: Owner of Accessible Beltway Clinics and opioid crises expert, Dr. John Rosa, posted a new article on his website entitled, “Just Say No To Pills, Pills, And More Pills,” in which Dr. Rosa reveals that the pills create more pain than they relieve.

Dr. Rosa questions, “Do we really think all it takes to effectively reverse the effects of one pill is another pill? Really? What are we doing?” He emphatically states, “We must get over the idea that pills are magic.” He goes on to add, “We must remember what Einstein said. First of all, he said that insanity is when we keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome. And secondly, he said we cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it.”

According to Dr. Rosa, “This is why if we are to effectively stem and eventually stop the opioid epidemic in this country, we must stop believing that pills are magic.” He elaborates, “We must turn our attention to the amazing healing abilities of our bodies and we must give them the time they need to heal. Healing is not an instantaneous process. I know that’s difficult for a society that wants instant gratification to hear, but it’s the truth and it’s the only way to effectively put an end to the opioid crisis in this country.”

Referring to the opioid crisis that plagues the nation, Dr. Rosa says, “Just look at how it all got started, then see if you think it can be turned around with a pill.” He writes, “According to drugabuse.gov, “In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This subsequently led to widespread diversion and misuse of these medications before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.”

“Slowly, but surely,” says Dr. Rosa, “we began seeing the opioid overdose rates increase. According to the government statistics, “In 2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. That same year, an estimated 2 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers, and 591,000 suffered from a heroin use disorder (not mutually exclusive).”

“Today we know so much more about opioids and addiction,” says Rosa. He lists a number of statistics one of which states that, “About 80percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.”

Source: https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

Read the entire article at http://glt.kji.mybluehost.me/just-say-no-to-pills-pills-and-more-pills/

About John P. Rosa

Leader in Chiropractic

Trustee of New York Chiropractic College for over 15 years and serving final 3-year term as Chairman of the Board.

Integrative Medicine Specialist:

Board service to Maryland University of Integrative Health
Consultant on Integrative Medicine to hospital cancer center
Reduced opioid prescriptions by 70% by integrating Chiropractic, physical therapy and behavioral medicine in a primary care setting
Expert/Speaker – educating primary care, urgent care and hospital medical staff on the Integrative Medicine approach to treating pain patients

Opioid Crisis Expert:

White House Surrogate/Consultant
Law Enforcement Consultant (Homeland Security, CBP, DOJ, DEA and Postal)
State and National Consultant to Opioid Task Forces
Corporate and professional organization consultant
Currently forming the Opioid Abuse Prevention Institute

Community Leadership:

Board member of the National Italian American Foundation
Volunteer at Crossroads Freedom Center – a residential facility in Maryland to help overcome addiction