opioid overdose Archives

65,000 Toddlers A Year Exposed To Drugs And Many Die As A Result

By Dr. John Rosa

Prescription drugs can affect more than those who have them prescribed.

Very young children, I’m talking about toddlers, are being irreversibly harmed and/or are dying at an alarming rate due to the fact that they are getting access to drugs intended for their parents or grandparents.

In a recent Mercola article entitled “Pediatric Drug Deaths On The Rise,” it was said that, “The Journal of Pediatrics reviewed patient records from the National Poison Data System of the American Association of Poison Control Centers.” In that review the records showed “that 453,559 children aged 5 or younger were admitted to a health care facility following exposure to a potentially toxic dose of a pharmaceutical drug between 2001 and 2008.”

According to the article, “Forty-three percent of all children admitted to the hospital after accidentally ingesting medication ended up in the intensive care unit, and prescription (opposed to over-the-counter) medications were responsible for 71% of serious injuries, with opioids, sedative-hypnotics and cardiovascular drugs topping the list of drugs causing serious harm.”

Think About the Consequences

The percentage of people over 60 that are on several medications is alarming in itself but when you think about how many of them care for their grandchildren you can imagine my concern. The labeled, days-of-the-week pill boxes are given to the majority of these people and what scares me is that it looks like a child’s toy with snapping plastic compartments with pretty colored objects inside.

Be Extra Cautious

If you are the parent or grandparent of young children, please be extra careful with your medications. Make sure you keep your medications safely stored away from where any child could get them. That means, somewhere other than the night stand. In addition, be sure to keep the Poison Help number in your phone, and make sure your babysitter or caregiver has it. In the U.S., the Poison Help number is 800-222-1222. If you suspect your child has taken a prescription or OTC medication, even if he or she is not yet exhibiting symptoms, call the Poison Help line immediately.

Unhappy Holiday For 400,000 Families Who Had A Member Die Of Opioid Overdose

By Dr. John Rosa

Every year there are more families whose lives are adversely affected by opioids.

Loved ones who have died from overdoses or loved ones who are addicted to them do not make any holiday season bright and cheerful. The sad fact is that more than 400,000 people have died as a result of the opioid epidemic and more than 2.6 millions Americans are currently addicted.

To the friends, families and loved ones of those who have died or are addicted, my heart goes out to you even more during the holiday season. I can’t truly imagine how heartbreaking it must be to have lost a child or a spouse or a parent so needlessly.

To all of those who suffer, I am continuously working to help rein in the suffering associated with this man-made epidemic. I am tireless in my efforts to promote pill-free methods for controlling pain after surgeries and accidents. I am consistent in helping to bring awareness to the fact that those who become addicted are not morally weak or inept in any way shape or form.

I admire those families who’ve lost loved ones who stand up and are tireless in their efforts to bring those responsible for creating and irresponsibly marketing and distributing the deadly opioid drugs to justice. I recognize how often their efforts can seem futile especially fighting those who’ve made billions of dollars on the death and destruction of unsuspecting and innocent people.

A Holiday Wish

My wish for all of you this holiday season is that you continue to stay strong, to let your love for the one(s) you’ve lost lead you forward. And perhaps your experience can help someone else say no to a doctor that prescribes opioids for pain relief. Perhaps your experience will inspire someone to seek out alternative, healthy methods to pain relief.

Let’s all find a quiet moment this holiday season and pray for all those who suffer. Sometimes good thoughts for those you don’t know helps those who need it the most. Be kind to one another and yourself.

The Early Demise Of Innocence For Generation “O”

By Dr. John Rosa

Generation “O” is a term I coined a few years ago while researching the under-reported effects of the Opioid Crisis on our nation’s children.

The “O” stands for overdose and yes, an entire generation is being affected by this opioid crisis. The “O” can just as easily also stand for “overlooked” and “outcast.”

Every Day Events

In our so-called sophisticated, civilized country these are events that happen every single day:

90 babies are born addicted to opioids EVERY DAY.
Children witness an overdose of their parent EVERY DAY.
Children are forced to take care of themselves and siblings as parents can’t get out of bed EVERY DAY.
Children are placed into foster care due to unfit parents or being orphaned from overdose death EVERY DAY.
Grandparents are taking in grandchildren when they don’t have the health or means to care for them EVERY DAY.

Overdosed And Overlooked

An entire generation of children is being born addicted to opioids or simply living lives of untold suffering as a result of parents addicted to opioids. And this is happening in the midst of supposedly the richest, most sophisticated nation on the planet. I don’t see us as so sophisticated or wise. We have become so numb to the problems society faces and although we know such problems exist we think someone else is fixed them. This is simply not true especially as it relates to the Opioid Crisis.

Why should the children have to endure this kind of suffering? The innocent children of this nation are the helpless victims of adults who fall victim to dependency and addiction or sometimes just act irresponsible. Greed is the motivating factor. Drug companies deliver false information, distribution companies don’t report excessive purchasing from pharmacies, pharmacies don’t report doctors who excessively prescribe, drug cartels see an opportunity to flood the market with heroin and Fentanyl and the result is 150 people a day die and thousands overdose and survive. The incident child falls victim to an opioid overdose without ever taking the drug.

We Need Adults To Take Action Now

We need action, and we need it now. We need to stop the flow of opioids. We need to combat the pervasive stigma, misunderstanding and fear about substance use and abuse. We must face the ugliness if we are ever to put an end to it.

Very specifically we need action in four areas as clearly pointed out by Carol Levine and Suzanne Brundage, co-authors of The Ripple Effect, The Impact of The Opioid Crisis on Children and Families. They write, “First, we must combat the pervasive stigma, misunderstanding, and fear about substance use. Stigma prevents parents from accessing treatment and shames children from reaching out for help when they are in a tough family situation; it also perpetuates a belief that children must be removed from home when, in many cases, this can be prevented.”

“Second, the ripple effect must become a public and political priority. For too long, society has underinvested in family-centered treatment programs that support child development. We need an infusion of resources.”

“Third, we must improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among government agencies, health-care providers, and community service organizations. It shouldn’t matter which door a parent enters to seek help; every door should lead to family-centered care.”

“Finally, we need to find compassionate and meaningful ways to identify children at risk and provide them and their families with ongoing support.”

Don’t forget the children!

Ask For A Drug-Free Prescription For Pain Relief

By Dr. John Rosa

No one wants to live with chronic pain.

The costs are too great. From sleeplessness to irritability to interfering with one’s work, pain can wreak havoc. But, taking a doctor prescribed pill that relieves pain often leads to even more detrimental effects.

The pills doctors prescribe for pain relief are killing people every single day. They are causing otherwise normal, law-abiding people to become drug dependent. In order to keep up with built up tolerance to drug levels we see people turn to lying and stealing to afford the addiction.

This country is in the midst of an opioid epidemic that shows no signs of slowing down. The only way it can be stopped is if people become aware of the problem and refuse to accept prescriptions for pain relief that come in pill form.

Instead, insist that your doctor give you a drug-free prescription for pain relief.

Drug-free methods of pain control include but are not limited to chiropractic, physical therapy, massage therapy, yoga, mind-body therapies, Botox injections and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), among others. Pain has been controlled without addictive pills for decades. While I understand the power of instant gratification when it comes to pain relief, the long-term consequences of that gratification must be taken into consideration. Most of the methods I’ve mentioned will offer relief on an ongoing basis. Depending on the nature and cause of the pain some methods are going to work better than others.

Chronic pain is no way to live.

But addiction is a deadlier more disruptive pain. Please do not accept the notion that a pill is your way out of pain. Insist on a pain-free prescription for controlling, managing and ultimately ending the pain.

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.