The Great American Smokeout: How to Diplomatically Help a Friend/Relative Stop Smoking

Newswise,November 18, 2015 — November 19, 2015 marks the date of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout, when cigarette smokers are asked to refrain from smoking for one day in hopes that the effort will lead to quitting forever.

Most people know a smoker they would like to see stop, but wonder if making that request is appropriate. Research from the University of Vermont (UVM) says “yes” – smokers who are exposed to cues to stop are twice as likely to try to quit.

What are these cues? According to John Hughes, M.D., a UVM professor of psychiatry who has been studying how smokers quit for the last 30 years, prompts can range from simply feeling embarrassed to direct requests from others – spouses, friends, children – to quit.

A recent study he conducted featured 134 smokers from across the U.S. who tracked their thoughts about quitting, cues to stop smoking, and actual smoking nightly for three months. The study appears in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

“Our study found that the large majority of quit attempts were spontaneous,” says Hughes, “so there must have been a ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ and induced a quit attempt.”

The research suggests that cues to quit often lead to quit attempts. The more cues, the greater the chance of a quit attempt.

So how best can nonsmokers provide a cue that helps prompt quitting? Hughes has four recommendations, based on his research:

• Diplomacy is important. Refrain from using terms like “ought to,” “should” or “need to” and instead use statements that express concern, like “I am worried about your smoking,” or less threatening statements, such as “Have you thought about quitting?”
• Mention new treatments as an icebreaker. For example, say “I heard about this new app that you can use to stop smoking – have you seen it?” and be prepared to mention the local telephone help line (802Quits in Vermont) and provide contact information for free phone counseling and medication sources.
• Remember that more is not necessarily better. A single comment is probably as effective as a 30-minute discussion.
• Repetition is usually necessary. It’s o.k. to say “I know I asked about your stopping smoking several months ago – has anything come of that?” Most of the time, it will take several diplomatic comments from friends and/or loved ones to have an effect.

Public Health Leaders Urge Far-Reaching Reforms to Curb Prescription Opioid Epidemic

Comprehensive report calls for mandatory prescription monitoring programs, expanded naloxone access, tamper-resistant drug packaging, among other measures

Newswise, November 16, 2015 — A group of experts, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, today issued recommendations aimed at stemming the prescription opioid epidemic, a crisis that kills an average of 44 people a day in the U.S.

The report calls for changes to the way medical students and physicians are trained, prescriptions are dispensed and monitored, first responders are equipped to treat overdoses, and those with addiction are identified and treated.

The report grew out of discussions that began last year at a town hall co-hosted by the Bloomberg School and the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, an initiative of the Clinton Foundation.

The recommendations were developed by professionals from medicine, pharmacy, injury prevention and law. Patient representatives, insurers and drug manufacturers also participated in developing the recommendations.

The call to action comes at a time of heightened awareness about the prescription opioid epidemic. More than 16,000 people died in the U.S. from overdoses related to opioid pain relievers in 2013, four times the number who died in 1999, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prescription opioid sales have increased 300 per cent since 1999. The CDC estimates that two million Americans were dependent on opioid medications in 2013.

“What’s important about these recommendations is that they cover the entire supply chain, from training doctors to working with pharmacies and the pharmaceuticals themselves, as well as reducing demand by mobilizing communities and treating people addicted to opioids,” says Andrea Gielen, ScD, ScM director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Bloomberg School and one of the report’s signatories.

“Not only are the recommendations comprehensive, they were developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, and wherever possible draw from evidence-based research.”

Carefully used, opioids provide important pain relief for many patients with acute or post-surgical pain. Up until the late 1990s, prescription opioids were prescribed primarily to cancer patients.

They became more widely used as new products were developed and aggressively promoted for wider use. In addition, their addictive potential was substantially underestimated.

Another complicating factor is so-called diversion–use by friends and family rather than those actually prescribed the painkillers. According to the CDC, in 2012, health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for opioid pain relievers, enough to supply every adult in the U.S. a four-week, round-the-clock supply.

The report, titled “The Prescription Opioid Epidemic: An Evidence-Based Approach,” breaks its recommendations into seven categories:

• Prescribing Guidelines
• Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)
• Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Pharmacies
• Engineering Strategies (i.e., packaging)
• Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Programs
• Addiction Treatment
• Community-Based Prevention Strategies

“This is a complex epidemic with no simple solutions,” says G. Caleb Alexander, MD, MS, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness at the Bloomberg School and another of the report’s signatories.

“We tried to identify as many windows as possible, and to tie together as much research as available, to inform these recommendations which together we believe provide the best chance of turning this steamship around.”

The report calls for stricter oversight of clinical prescribing and more comprehensive training of medical students, who presently receive very little instruction on the subject.

The signatories also recommend expanding the role of pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefits Managers, both of which stand between the prescribers and the patients who receive the medication.

For example, increased use of electronic prescribing to identify high-risk patients and prescribers, along with expanded availability of drug take-back programs, would give pharmacies a greater role in reducing opioid misuse and abuse.

The authors also call for mandatory use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), state databases that include controlled substance prescriptions from in-state pharmacies.

Every state but Missouri has a version of a PDMP, as do Washington, D.C., and Guam. At present, PDMPs are voluntary in many states and actual use varies – many prescribing providers are not aware of them – and their design varies from state to state. In addition to making PDMPs mandatory, the report recommends making them more accessible to law enforcement when warranted.

The report calls for expanding the availability of naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an overdose if administered promptly.

Among the recommendations to address addiction, working group members call for providing funding for treatment programs to communities with high rates of addiction and educating prescribers and pharmacists on ways to prevent addiction.

Among the report’s other recommendations: develop more secure and tamper-resistant packaging through design contests and other approaches and, as noted above, expand “take back” programs that allow patients to return unused medication to pharmacies to reduce chances that the pills might be taken by potential abusers.

The report will be among topics discussed at a forum hosted by the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Clinton Health Matters Initiative on Nov. 17, 2015 at the Bloomberg School.

Participants include Michael Botticelli, MEd, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; Christopher Jones, PharmD, MPH, director of Science Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Bloomberg School faculty Joshua Sharfstein, MD, and Shannon Frattaroli, PhD, MPH. (Sharfstein and Frattaroli are signatories to the report.)

Kicking an Addiction? Replace It with Joy, UCLA Expert Advises in New Book

Bringing pleasure into recovery is the key to turning over a new leaf

Newswise, November 16, 2015 — People in the midst of alcohol or drug addiction tend to imagine life without those substances as one of deprivation, which can make kicking the habit seem like a joyless and dreary prospect.

But recovery from addiction has at least as much to do with rewarding oneself as it does with depriving oneself, according to a new book by a UCLA expert in addiction treatment.

“People with the most success in staying sober tend to get involved in a range of pleasurable activities and do them frequently,” said Suzette Glasner-Edwards, author of “The Addiction Recovery Skills Workbook,” which is to be published Dec. 1 by New Harbinger Publications.

“These activities can replace the time and energy that they had been spending on addictive behaviors, enabling them to experience pleasure without the devastating consequences of alcohol or drug use.”

Glasner-Edwards is an adjunct associate professor at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and a licensed clinical psychologist. Her research focuses on advancing treatments for addictions and mental health problems at the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs.

Subtitled “Changing Addictive Behaviors using CBT, Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing Techniques,” the workbook details the science of a wide range of treatment options for addicts and their loved ones, and it is filled with worksheets, lists and questionnaires that allow readers to try them out.

Among the newest approaches it describes is behavioral activation therapy, which advocates rediscovering life’s healthy rewards. Glasner-Edwards said the strategy is effective because it combats the allure of drugs and alcohol at their source.

Both drugs and alcohol release dopamine, a chemical that the brain associates with the pleasure of receiving rewards, but both cause the brain to release dopamine at a far greater rate than life’s normal pleasures. As a result, the book explains, activities that once brought pleasure pale by comparison.

“While the feeling of disappointment at routine pleasure does get better over time, it is one of the things that prevents people from really getting a head start in recovery,” Glasner-Edwards writes.

“They keep relapsing in that early phase when nothing feels enjoyable. Their brain is still really healing from all that depletion and depression that the depletion can lead to.”

To combat these disappointments and blues, Glasner-Edwards encourages people in sobriety to resume activities that they once enjoyed or discover new ones: Cook something new. Plan a party. Exercise. Go to a museum. Take up a sport. And, to increase the likelihood that readers will carry out the activities, the book advocates scheduling them for specific times.

“Ideally you should have one pleasant activity worked into each day,” Glasner-Edwards writes. What if embarking on the activity feels more like a chore than a diversion?

“The workbook urges readers to rate how good — or miserable — they expect the experience will be on a 10-point scale, and then, after the activity, to rate how fun (or not) it actually proved to be.

“More often than not, an activity is more fun than you thought it was going to be,” she said, adding that seeing the pattern play out repeatedly can break down people’s resistance to enjoying future fun pursuits.

Readers are also urged to reward themselves again after the activity: Get a massage or eat a piece of chocolate cake, for example. The intent is to make them more inclined to pursue the activity again.

“Just like the rewarding feelings that follow the use of drugs or alcohol in the early stages lead to forming a damaging habit, rewarding healthy behaviors can establish positive habits,” Glasner-Edwards said.

In choosing which activities to pursue, the book notes, one important consideration is whether the activity is likely to trigger a relapse. Glasner-Edwards counsels against activities that a recovering addict would associate with their substance abuse.

Someone trying to stop using marijuana, for instance, might avoid attending concerts by musicians they used to listen to while high.

Another consideration is people the recovering addict spends time with during their new activities. One person who Glasner-Edwards treated for alcoholism began grilling dinners for his friends.

Although he relished his guests’ compliments about his cooking, there was one problem: They often arrived with bottles of wine or six-packs of beer.

“I finally had to say, ‘OK, you have this love of grilling, but you have to be careful who you grill with,’” she said. “Because if they bring booze, all of a sudden you’re feeling like, ‘Why not just one?’”

Although behavioral activation therapy has not yet been extensively studied as a treatment for substance abuse, the new approach builds on some of the oldest and most often validated findings in addiction therapy, Glasner Edwards said.

Since the 1970s, repeated studies have shown that individuals with all kinds of addictions are more likely to stay sober if researchers routinely test them for substance abuse and then reward clean results, especially when the value of the rewards climb with each negative test.

“It could even be a gift card — a whole range of prizes will do,” Glasner-Edwards said. “It doesn’t even matter what the income level of the addict is, so long as the value of the rewards escalates with consecutive good outcomes. There’s something about the process of being rewarded that’s very motivating.”

Prescription Painkillers Source of Addiction for Most Women

Women need different treatment from men with addiction

Newswise, November 10, 2015 --Painkillers prescribed by doctors are the starting point for an opioid addiction for more than half of female methadone clinic patients, and they need different treatment from men with addiction, says a study led by McMaster University researchers.

The results, published in the open access journal Biology of Sex Differences today, show that more than half (52%) of women and a third (38%) of men reported doctor-prescribed painkillers as their first contact with opioid drugs, a family of drugs which include prescription medicines such OxyContin and codeine, as well as illicit drugs such as heroin.

The study of 503 patients attending Ontario methadone clinics identified significant gender differences between the men and women attending the clinics. Compared to men, women were found to have more physical and psychological health problems, more childcare responsibilities, and were more likely to have a family history of psychiatric illness.

Men were more likely than women to be working and more likely to smoke cigarettes. Rates of cannabis use were relatively high (47%) among both men and women.

“Most methadone treatment is based on studies with few or no women at all. We found men and women who are addicted to opioids have very different demographics and health needs, and we need to better reflect this in the treatment options that are available,” said Monica Bawor, first author of the paper and a recent PhD neuroscience graduate of McMaster.

“A rising number of women are seeking treatment for opioid addiction in Canada and other countries yet, in many cases, treatment is still geared towards a patient profile that is decades out of date – predominantly young men injecting heroin, and with few family or employment responsibilities.”

The study highlights the changing profile of people addicted to opioids. Compared to results from studies in the 1990s, the average age of patients being treated for opioid addiction is older (38 compared to 25 years), with opioid use starting at a later age (25 rather than 21 years).

Injecting drug use has reduced by 60%, and there has been a 50% reduction in rates of HIV in opioid users as a result.

At the same time, there has been a 30% increase in the number of patients becoming addicted to opioids through doctor-prescribed painkillers, usually for chronic pain management.

In Canada, the number of opioid painkiller prescriptions has doubled in the last two decades, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Canada consumes more opioid painkillers than any other country.

Senior author Dr. Zena Samaan added that the reasons are not clear why women are disproportionately affected by opioid dependence originating from prescription painkillers.

“It may be that they are prescribed painkillers more often because of a lower pain threshold or because they are more likely to seek medical care than men,” said Samaan, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.

“For whatever reason, this is a growing problem in Canada and in other countries, such as the U.S., and addiction treatment programs need to adapt to the changing profile of opioid addiction.”

Major funding for the study was from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

“Even more important, is its potential for greatly reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.”

A Significant Number of Adults Can't Identify Signs of Substance Abuse in Seniors

According to a New National Survey by Harris Poll on behalf of Caron Treatment Centers Poll finds majority of adults age 35-50 (51%) report substance abuse is not a growing problem among seniors (age 60+); Yet nearly 1 in 3 (31%) say their aging parent has engaged in problematic behaviors 

WERNERSVILLE, Pa., Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Many American adults aren't involved with their parent's health issues or knowledgeable when it comes to symptoms of substance use disorders (SUDs), according to findings from a new national survey by Caron Treatment Centers, a leading not-for-profit provider of addiction treatment and behavioral healthcare.

The online survey, commissioned by Caron and conducted by Harris Poll among more than 1,000 U.S. adults age 35-50 with a living parent, step-parent, or parent-in-law aged 60+ who they regularly contact (at least once a month), reveals alarming misperceptions about their parents' behavior and the consequences of drinking alcohol and taking prescription medication.

The survey demonstrates a disconnect between how involved adults say they are in their parent's healthcare and the steps they take to support their parent's wellness. It also shows the majority of adults (51%) don't think substance abuse is a growing problem among seniors; however, according to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), alcohol and prescription drug problems among adults age 60+ are one of the fastest growing health issues in America.

Furthermore, the NCADD states adults age 65+ take more prescribed and over-the-counter medications than any other age group in the U.S. Misuse is prevalent among seniors not only because doctors prescribe more medications with greater frequency, but also because an individual's body becomes more susceptible to the effects of alcohol/drugs with age. Additionally, many don't realize combining alcohol and prescription medication can cause health complications and even death.

"We're in the midst of an epidemic regarding seniors and substance use disorders," said Dr. Joseph Garbely, M.D., Medical Director at Caron.

"Tragically, the majority of seniors who struggle with SUDs and related issues don't get the help they need and their health declines rapidly. It's critical that adults with aging parents understand the signs and symptoms of SUDs and are empowered with tools to talk to their parents, and in some cases their parent's doctors, about these issues."

Adults Believe They Could Spot Signs of Substance Abuse In Their Parents But Poll Shows Many Could Not Identify Major Symptoms 

Experts say nearly 2.8 million Americans age 50+ meet the criteria for SUD which is expected to nearly double (5.7 million) by 2020, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Nearly one-third of adults (32%) surveyed by Harris Poll said it's uncommon for people to start abusing alcohol and/or drugs after turning 60. In reality, many seniors experience problems with alcohol abuse after age 60. A Mayo Clinic study found at least 41% of adults age 65+ said their issues started after turning 60.

In early 2015, Caron developed a senior program after observing the specialized needs of the population.

Experts at Caron with extensive experience working with seniors created the personalized treatment approach to encompass several factors including low motivation, lifestyle changes, and unique triggers like retirement, death of a spouse, limitations to mobility, isolation, and the development of a chronic illness. Additionally, there are often significant co-occurring issues that must be treated in order to help seniors achieve recovery.

Experts at Caron say it's critical to start a dialogue with aging parents about their overall mental wellbeing – including their growing vulnerability to substance abuse and behavioral health issues. Although four in five adults (84%) said they'd be able to recognize symptoms of substance abuse in their parent, a significant amount didn't identify the following as signs:

• Anxiety (54%)
• Sleeping problems (46%)
• Failing to keep up with medical appointments/treatments (43%)
• Depressed mood (38%)
• Recurring accidents/injuries/falls (37%)
• Confusion/disorientation (36%)
• 12% were unsure of the signs

Adults Lack Awareness of Dangers of Drinking Alcohol While Taking Prescription Medication; Trust Doctors to Discuss Abuse

Caron's survey revealed confusion around the potentially deadly combination of alcohol and prescription medication:

• One in ten adults (10%) admitted uncertainty about what substances their parent uses
• 11% said their parent consumed alcohol while taking prescription medication at age 60+
• About 2 in 5 (37%) said it's okay for seniors to have one glass of wine/beer while taking prescription medication
•  

The survey also showed nearly nine in 10 adults (87%) trust their parent's doctor would discuss the proper use, side-effects, storage, and disposal of prescription medications before prescribing. Additionally, the majority of adults (83%) said they trust the people who manage their parent's health to identify substance abuse signs; however, only 18% of providers discuss storage/disposal of drugs and over 40% of primary care doctors report difficulty discussing potential drug abuse with patients, according to the American College of Physician Medicine (ACPM). Safe storage and disposal is also important to understand because of a rising trend in individuals taking medication from others' medicine cabinets.

"Most doctors are well intentioned, but unfortunately we cannot rely on them alone to manage their patient's care," said David Rotenberg, Chief Clinical Officer at Caron.

"A typical patient in our senior program has been prescribed medication from multiple doctors. The doctors may not know this and may not think to ask the patient. Additionally, doctors sometimes fail to discuss proper use or potential side effects of prescribed medications or to emphasize the dangers of alcohol. We are expanding our work with the medical community to better educate doctors about substance use disorders. However, it's also critical that communities and families are educated and can raise awareness."

Nearly One Third of Adults Have Observed Instances of Risky Behavior among Parents Including Drinking and Driving

While many adults may not be able to recognize signs of substance abuse, almost one third (31%) reported their parent has engaged in behavior while age 60+ that may be cause for concern. Specifically:

• 13% of adults said their parent has drunk 3+ drinks at one time
• 11% said their parent has driven after drinking
• 10% said their parent has taken multiple prescriptions or OTC medications at once

Adults are likelier to say their father has engaged in risky behavior, drinking while taking prescription medications (14% vs. 7%) or drinking and driving (15% vs. 8%), compared to their mother.

Adults Report Limited Involvement in Parents' Healthcare, Many Do Not Play Active Role in Care

Over 2 in 5 adults (44%) said they don't talk to their parent about their health and fewer take an active role in their parents' healthcare:

• 18% check to ensure their parent is taking their medications
• 17% accompany their parent to doctor visits
• 14% pick up/refill medications for their parent
• 3% received/are receiving formal training to provide care for their parent

Awareness Needed to Address Seniors and Substance Abuse

It's important adults are aware of the substance abuse dangers among seniors and can help make informed decisions to keep themselves and their parents safe. While many doctors play a role in trying to manage these issues, the earlier adults identify their parent may have a problem, the better chance for a successful recovery.

Experts caution not to wait for a parent to experience an extreme consequence before taking action. To this effect, Caron has been educating physicians and retirement home staff, training them to better understand the signs/symptoms of substance abuse and prevention strategies.

In 2016, Caron will break ground on its $15 million Carole and Ray Neag Medical Center which will support treatment for seniors.

For more information and to learn more about seniors and substance abuse visit www.caron.org or follow us on Twitter: @CaronTreatment.

About Caron Treatment Centers

With nearly 60 years in the field, Caron Treatment Centers provides lifesaving addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment in Wernersville, Pennsylvania and at Caron Ocean Drive and Caron Renaissance in Palm Beach County, Florida. Caron's regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC offer community and recovery support. Caron has the most extensive continuum of care including adolescents, young adults, adults and seniors. Caron's treatment is customized to meet the needs of individuals and families – with highly trained teams prepared to address co-occurring disorders. Caron offers an innovative approach to ongoing recovery care for its alumni and their families.

Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of Caron Treatment Centers betweenJune 18-26, 2015 among 1,007 U.S. adults ages 35-50 who have a living parent, step-parent, or parent-in-law aged 60+ who they regularly contact (once a month or more often). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted, where necessary, to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

Many Use Prescription Painkillers, Most See Abuse as Major Health Concern

Despite wide use, broad support seen for policies to stem epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse in U.S.

Newswise, October 8, 2015 — More than one in four Americans has taken prescription painkillers in the past year, even as a majority say that abuse of these medications is a very serious public health concern, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.

Roughly seven in 10 Americans have been prescribed the medications in their lifetime and 17 percent say they have taken painkillers prescribed for someone else, the researchers found in what they believe is the first national public opinion study on this topic.

The findings, published online Oct. 7 in the journal Addiction, suggest that the public may be poised to support a number of policy measures designed to control what has become an epidemic of abuse, including instituting better medical training in controlling pain and treating addiction, requiring doctors to ensure patients don’t receive multiple painkiller prescriptions from different providers and requiring pharmacists to check identification before distributing pain prescriptions.

Over the past decade, there has been a sharp increase in the rates of prescription painkiller abuse, misuse and overdose. 

Drug overdose – the majority of which involve opioid pain relievers – was the leading cause of injury death in 2012, and among people between the ages of 25 and 64, drug overdose surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of injury death.

“This study shows that many Americans have had direct experience using prescription pain relievers and a sizable share have misused or abused these medications themselves or have close friends or family members who have done so,” says study leader Colleen L. Barry, PhD, MPP, an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School.

 “The seriousness of the issue has become salient with the American public.”

Fifty-eight percent of survey respondents ranked prescription pain medication abuse as either a very serious or extremely serious health issue, on par with other public health problems such as gun violence and tobacco use, Barry says.

The study, based on a web-based public opinion survey of 1,111 adults in the United States in February 2014, was designed to understand attitudes about prescription painkiller use and abuse. 

Among the findings: Most people blame those who abuse painkillers and the doctors who prescribe them for the current public health crisis. A majority of respondents to the survey said doctors keep patients on these medications for too long, that it is too easy for people to get multiple pain medication prescriptions and that there is a lack of understanding among patients about how easily they can become addicted.

Prescription painkillers are involved in roughly 475,000 emergency department visits a year and the economic costs of misusing these medications were estimated in 2006 at $50 billion in lost productivity, crime and medical costs.

The researchers say they found broad support for most policy recommendations put forth by leading groups such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the American Medical Association and the Trust for America’s Health. 

Except for policies to expand distribution of medications such as naloxone that can reverse opioid overdose which was supported by only 47 percent of respondents and to increase government spending on addiction treatment which was supported by only 39 percent of those surveyed, there was majority backing for all policies in the survey.

Policy proposals with the highest levels of public support were requiring pharmacies to verify patient identification before giving out prescription pain medication (84 percent), requiring medical school and physician residency programs to provide training for physicians in how to detect and treat addiction to prescription pain medication (83 percent) and requiring medical school and physician residency programs to train physicians to treat chronic pain (82 percent).

“We think this is the perfect time to work on passing policies that can truly impact the crisis of prescription pain reliever abuse,” says study co-author Emma E. “Beth” McGinty, PhD, MS, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School. “The issue has not yet been highly politicized like some public health issues such as the Affordable Care Act, gun violence or needle exchanges, so we may have an opportunity to stem this epidemic.”

“Understanding Americans’ Views on Opioid Pain Reliever Abuse” was written by Colleen L. Barry, Alene Kennedy-Hendricks, Sarah E. Gollust, Jeff Niederdeppe, Marcus A. Bachhuber, Daniel W. Webster and Emma E. McGinty. The collaborating researchers are from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Cornell University and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Funding for this study was obtained through an unrestricted research grant from AIG, Inc.

FAU’s Medical School to Work with foundation2recovery.org to Combat Narcotic Prescription Drug Epidemi4

Foundation to Implement Novel Practices Supporting Treatment, Prevention and Education Programs

Newswise, September 10, 2015 — More people die from overdose of prescription opiate pain medications than from all other drugs combined, including heroin and cocaine.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), more than 2 million people in the United States suffer from substance use disorders related to prescription opiate pain medications, and overdose deaths have more than quadrupled in the past decade and a half.

According to NIDA, in 2013, 207 million prescriptions were written for these pain medications.

Physicians and researchers in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University will work with www.foundation2recovery.org   to target this major public health problem using novel approaches to support treatment, prevention and education programs.

The brainchild of entrepreneur and founder Joe Randazza, foundation2recovery will develop a portfolio of tools and resources to address prevention and education as well as treatment programs that include the use of FDA-approved “opiate blockers.”

“The statistics are staggering and the causes for misuse of opiates are extremely complex,” said Randazza. “foundation2recovery.org has been put in motion to begin the dialogue and propel the effort needed to fight this scourge at its source, and we are very pleased to partner with FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine on our important mission.”

FAU and foundation2recovery.org have begun discussions to establish a national advisory board composed of medical, scientific and business experts who will help www.foundation2recovery.org  identify highly effective and novel approaches to this growing problem, including vital resources that enable families to identify problems early.

  

FAU’s College of Medicine will provide its expertise to help create educational programs and materials, treatment assessment criteria and prevention tools, and will work with the foundation to develop strategies to support evidence-based treatment programs.

“The misuse of opiate pain medication is a huge public health problem that impacts families all over the country, at all socioeconomic levels,” said John W. Newcomer, M.D., executive vice dean in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and an internationally renowned neuroscientist.

“As physicians, we look forward to working with foundation2recovery to help them identify, assess and support highly effective approaches, both existing and novel, to address prescription opiate addiction.”

According to Partnership for Drug Free Kids, every day 2,000 teens in the U.S. try prescription drugs and 60 percent of them do so before age 15.

Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that of the 22 million Americans who need treatment, only 11 percent actually receive the treatment they need.

“I’ve been very fortunate and successful throughout my career and in my business endeavors. Now, I want to use my knowledge and resources to give back and most importantly to save lives,” said Randazza.