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Between 2008 and 2017 alone, at least 14,500 Californians died at the grips of prescription opioids. As the opioid crisis rages on, California’s state and county governments and private rehabilitation centers are fighting back.With the recent Fentanyl busts in Santa Ana, Orange County, residents of the golden state can’t help but wonder what other actions California and its law enforcement, lawmakers, and even local rehabs are taking to ensure more safety in their areas.
Addiction touches the lives of most people at some point, and unfortunately, many people understand, first-hand, the devastating repercussions of opioid addiction. But let’s jump to the core - what Golden State lawmakers and private healthcare providers, such as Healthy Life Recovery, an addiction treatment center in San Diego, are doing about it.
Opioid addiction, for many, begins at their doctor’s office. However, behind these doctors often lie large pharmaceutical companies. These large pharmaceutical companies, notoriously, push providers to prescribe higher doses over time, encouraging addiction, and understating their pain medication’s risk for dependence. The state government of California realizes the seriousness of large pharmaceutical companies’ roles in the opioid crisis.
In June of 2019, California’s Attorney General, General Xavier Becerra, filed lawsuits against large pharmaceutical companies like Purdue Pharma for their misleading marketing campaigns about the safety of Oxycontin. Finally, Big Pharma is facing direct scrutiny by California lawmakers for marketing OxyContin
Attorney General Becerra, in the Office of the Attorney General’s press release on October 3rd, 2019, states: “Fighting the opioid crisis and holding accountable the individuals who helped fuel it remains a serious priority for the state of California… Purdue and the Sackler family must face the consequences for their harmful, reckless actions. My Office will continue fighting to protect the well-being of all Californians.”
The California Department of Public Help also states on its website that California’s “comprehensive, multi-pronged, strategic collaboration has resulted in many efforts statewide to address the opioid epidemic.” Some of its efforts include passing the 2016 Naloxone (Narcan) grant program to help reduce the number of opioid-related deaths in California. CDPH also began promoting safe prescribing by doctors, making policy changes based on the most current scientific studies, and expanding the developing medically-assisted treatment (MAT).
To build upon the Department of Public Health’s efforts, local treatment centers are also tackling the epidemic of opioid addiction from multiple angles.
Southern California rehabs realize that more progressive methods of addiction treatment need to be utilized to offset growing numbers of opioid-related deaths. For example, more Healthy Life Recovery, a San Diego drug rehab, recently began providing specific medically-assisted treatments such as Sublocade shot and Naltrexone.
By using these FDA-approved medically-assisted treatment methods, Healthy Life Recovery and other addiction medicine providers have the potential to reduce the likelihood of overdoses. The Sublocade Shot, when appropriately used under the direct supervision of a medical doctor, can help those who need to wean off of opioids safely do so with great success. Naltrexone can help Opioid addicts and alcoholics by reducing their cravings and decreasing the psychological effects of opioids.
To educate those suffering from chronic pain develop healthier ways to cope, the CDPH also launched a campaign named Your Pain is Real. So Are the Risks. This campaign’s goal, according to the CDPH’s website, is to “shift norms away from excessive reliance on opioids for the treatment for long term, chronic pain and to encourage treatment for those with substance use disorder.”
Although the opioid crisis has caused direct pain to many Californians, its government and Healthy Life Recovery are finding ways to resist.
Contact Info:
Name: Ryan Witt CEO
Email: Send Email
Organization: Healthy Life Recovery
Website: https://healthyliferecovery.com/medication-assisted-treatment/
Release ID: 88934331