Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/774606
35 SPOTLIGHT ON OPIOID EPIDEMIC CDC: Heroin Overdose Deaths Surpass Gun Homicides for First Time By Brian Zimmerman H eroin overdose deaths narrowly sur- passed gun homicides as the more prolific killer in 2015, according to new CDC data relayed by e Washington Post. Nearly 13,000 people died from heroin overdoses in 2015, marking a 2,000-case in- crease from the year prior. e uptick in heroin-related deaths contrib- uted to the growing overall number of opi- oid-related deaths. For the first time, in 2015, deaths related to opioids surpassed 30,000. In conjunction with a sharp rise in heroin deaths, deaths related to powerful synthet- ic opioids like fentanyl — which is 50 times more potent than morphine — increased by 75 percent from 2014 to 2015. "e epidemic of deaths involving opioids con- tinues to worsen," said CDC director Tom Frie- den, MD, in a statement, according to the Post. "Prescription opioid misuse and use of heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are inter- twined and deeply troubling problems." In the CDC's opioid overdose data, deaths may involve more than one substance, mean- ing the number of deaths pertaining to her- oin and fentanyl are not mutually exclusive. Recently, fentanyl-laced heroin has contrib- uted to a rash of overdose deaths across the nation. In an emailed statement, Patrice A. Harris, MD, chair of the American Medical Associ- ation's Board of Trustees, responded to the CDC's new findings. "The AMA agrees that physicians should limit prescriptions for opioid analgesics to the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible duration," said Dr. Harris. "The new data underscores our concern, howev- er, that overly restrictive public policies that focus only on prescription opioid supply may lead some patients to turn to dangerous alternatives or street drugs. The sharp rise in heroin and illicit fentanyl deaths should give policymakers an urgent call to action that this epidemic requires a comprehen- sive, public health approach based on prov- en evidence." Many experts say the criminalization to off-la- bel drug use is hindering the nation's ability to address the growing opioid overdose epidem- ic, suggesting public policy on the matter may need to be revised. "Criminalization drives people to the margins and dissuades them from getting help," Grant Smith, deputy director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Post. "It drives a wedge between people who need help and the services they need. Because of criminalization and stigma, people hide their addictions from others." In September, Chuck Rosenberg, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administra- tion, said incarcerating drug addicts would not result in a reduction in opioid-related deaths. n US Sees 205% Surge in Opioid Poisoning Among Toddlers Since 1997 By Brian Zimmerman F rom 1997 to 2012, the number of children hospi- talized for opioid poisoning surged dramatically, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. While the opioid epidemic is a hot-button issue, little data exists on how the public health crisis affects children. To better understand the relationship between America's opioid abuse problem and child health, researchers ex- amined 13,052 health records of children aged 1 to 19 years hospitalized for opioid poisoning between 1997 and 2012. Effects of opioid poisoning range from minor adverse effects such as constipation to death from respiratory depression. Overall, this population experienced a 165 percent increase in opioid poisonings over this time period. While older ad- olescents demonstrated the highest poisoning rates, the amount of children ages 1 to 4 hospitalized for opioid poi- soning saw a 205 percent spike, representing the largest increase out of all the age groups. Researchers also found more evidence to suggest many in- dividuals who abuse opioid painkillers eventually graduate to heroin. From 1997 to 2012, rates of adolescents 15 to 19 years old overdosing on heroin grew by 161 percent. "What I hope is that people realize the opioid crisis affects ev- eryone," said the study's lead author Julie Gaither, PhD, RN, a post-doctoral fellow at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., according to TIME magazine. "Children make up a quarter of the U.S. population, and we need to pay better attention to them when it comes to the opiates by limiting their exposure to them ... A lot of the solutions and in- terventions needed to address the opioid crisis are complex. But limiting exposure for children doesn't have to be. We need to realize the opioid crisis is affecting us all, throughout the lifespan, from neonates through the elderly." n Hospitalizations of children ages 1 to 4 years old spiked 205 percent between 1997 and 2012.