Opioids are one of the biggest problems in the US. More and more people die from opioids overdose. Despite the fact that the number of opioid prescriptions has been decreasing in the last few years, Americans are the ones that consume the most opioids in the world.
The US is the country where people use opioids more than in any other parts of the world. Despite the fact that states officials have been trying to lower the rate of opioid consumption, this did not happen. A new report shows that US citizens are prescribed 6 times more opioids per capita than citizens in France or Portugal.
The numbers are shocking, especially because there are so many deaths caused by opioid prescriptions. Doctors should stop giving opioid prescriptions. Instead, people should receive other drugs that are less harmful and less addictive too.
Everybody knows that opioids are addictive. Once a person starts to take them they can’t stop easily. After they don’t receive opioid prescriptions anymore, they tend to use other drugs like heroin. These drugs are dangerous. They have cause hundreds of deaths every year in the US.
The most shocking news is that US citizens consume almost 99% of the opioid supplies worldwide. This means that there are countries where opioids are not even prescribed. Despite the fact that many might believe that there are many opioid prescriptions in the US due to the aging population, this is not true.
There are other countries that have more people aged more than 65 and the consumption of opioids is much lower than in the US. One factor that can influence the number of opioid prescription is the aggressive marketing of pharmaceutical manufacturers.
They are the ones who benefit from the consumption of opioids. The ones that produce these drugs are also the ones that still support the consumption of their products in the US. People should stop consuming these drugs and try other alternative measures.
For instance, for chronic back pain guidelines recommend massages and exercises. Drugs are only recommended when these alternative measures fail. Opioids are not recommended in any case since they are so dangerous.
What is your opinion about the fact that the US has the most opioid prescriptions in the world?
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