4 Opioid-Related Drugs Parents Should Be Aware Of

The opioid epidemic continues to be a nationwide health crisis, and even younger people are vulnerable to the threat. High school and college students often begin experimenting with prescription painkilllers found in their family medicine cabinet. Many of these drugs are highly addictive and are also available for sale online and on the street. With these fundamentals in mind, here are four of the most common opioid-related drugs and what you need to know to protect your child.

1. Prescription Opioids

If your child has ever had surgery or a severe sports injury, they may have received a prescription for pain relievers such as oxycodone (brand name OxyContin®) or hydrocodone (brand name Vicodin®). However, due to these drugs’ documented high potential for abuse, addiction and overdose, many states have made it more difficult to get a prescription. These measures include strictly limiting the amount of time a patient can use opioid drugs, as well as total daily dosage.

2. Heroin

People who have developed an addiction to opioids, but can no longer get a legitimate doctor’s prescription for these medications, may begin buying their drugs in the street. Drugs like heroin can be easier to obtain, but they can also be deadlier than prescription opioids.

Heroin’s effects include:

• Extreme happiness
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Digestive problems
• Sedation
• Difficulty breathing
• Unconsciousness

3. Fentanyl

Fentanyl, a lab-created opioid, can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine. In legal prescription form, fentanyl has legitimate medical uses for treating severe, difficult-to-control pain. However, makers of illegal drugs often use non-pharmaceutical fentanyl to increase the heroin-like euphoria of their product, which is why fentanyl-laced drugs are a growing concern of organizations like the Drug Enforcement Administration. People may buy illicit drugs without being aware they’re laced with fentanyl, making an accidental overdose more likely. Because of fentanyl's potency, a dose as small as two milligrams is enough to be fatal for most people.

4. Naloxone

Unlike the other drugs on this list, there is no potential for abuse with naloxone, marketed as Narcan®. Instead, the timely use of naloxone can save people’s lives by reversing an opioid overdose. Because opioid overdoses typically involve the gradual suppression of the respiratory system, first responders can use naloxone to restart someone’s breathing. Naloxone works by rapidly binding to opioid receptors in the brain and blocking the effects of opioid drugs.

Naloxone is available in a nasal spray form that makes it easy for anyone to administer, even people with no medical training. If you suspect your child is misusing opioids, it’s smart to have a supply of naloxone on hand, and familiarize yourself with the steps for responding to an opioid overdose. In some states, naloxone is available from pharmacies without a prescription.

Know the Facts

As a concerned parent, you want to be prepared so you can protect your child in any situation. Knowing the ins and outs of opioid-related drugs can help you recognize, react and respond when your child is using these drugs, and take steps to prevent their use from becoming problematic. If you need to get help for your family, Hope Academy can provide the solutions you’re looking for. Learn more about the details of our treatment program, then contact us to start the application process.

New App Detects Opioid Overdoses

A new app may provide opioid users with a way to ask for help in the event of an overdose. The app, named Second Chance, can detect slowed or stopped breathing as a result of an overdose. It works by converting the speaker and microphone of the smartphone into a sonar system that emits high frequency sound waves that bounce off a user’s chest. In an emergency, the app could call 911 or send a message to friends or family who have access to and could administer the opiate antidote naloxone (Narcan).

“Being able to track an overdose when a person may be by themselves could significantly improve the ability to save lives,” psychiatrist Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in Bethesda, MD, told Science News.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 people die from an opioid overdose every day in the United States. And many of the individuals are alone and powerless to call for help.

"We're experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of deaths from opioid use, and it's unfortunate because these overdoses are a completely reversible phenomena if they're detected in time," Dr. Jacob Sunshine, an assistant professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the UW School of Medicine., told CNBC.

Researchers tested the app on 94 users in Vancouver at a legally sanctioned injection facility where people use heroin and fentanyl under medical supervision in an effort to prevent overdoses. The app detected 47 out of 49 cases where the user stopped breathing and 41 out of 47 cases where a patient was breathing too slowly. The app misjudged five of the 47 cases where the user was breathing frequently enough. Researchers also simulated overdoses with 20 volunteers who received standard anesthetic medications that caused 30 seconds of slow or no breathing. The app detected abnormal respiration in 19 patients.

The team, which is applying for FDA approval, anticipates that the app will be on the market in roughly eight months – and hopefully sooner if they get fast track priority approval by the FDA, researchers told CNBC.

Opioid Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Young adults (age 18 to 25) are the biggest abusers of prescription opioid pain relievers, according to the NIDA. And early intervention is the most successful treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction, don’t wait to get help. Call today: 866-930-4673.

College Students Learn to Use Narcan

More than a year ago, students at the University of Texas at Austin began learning to use naloxone, known by the brand name Narcan, which is used to rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. The goal: to save a friend or peer showing symptoms of an overdose. 

Program supporters compare Narcan availability to fire extinguishers or automated external defibrillators – both mainstays on college campuses. “The majority of the doses are likely going to go unused — that’s a good thing,” Lucas Hill, a UT-Austin pharmacy professor who directs a program called Operation Naloxone that UH students plan to expand into Houston this semester, told the Houston Chronicle. “Most fire extinguishers get tossed out without being used. This is similar.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,588 people overdosed from drugs in Texas in 2015 and the figure rose to 2,831 in 2016. What’s more, four percent of Texas college students misused opioids in 2017, noted the Houston Chronicle. Still, noted Hill, it’s difficult to know how widespread the issue is on Texas campuses, as families often keep overdoses private.

Despite these rising figures, many Texas public universities lack written policies on naloxone distribution. “We felt as a medical organization that it was best for us to ensure that everyone who might encounter this within our facility be trained,” Martha Dannenbaum, who directs A&M’s student health services, told the Houston Chronicle. “Drug use, misuse and abuse exists everywhere. It’s not just the homeless population or the poor, it’s everyone from the highest administrative areas to young people that are functional.”

Do You Know the Signs of an Opioid Overdose?

Recognizing the symptoms of an opioid overdose and taking prompt action is critical to potentially saving a life. Although all of these signs might not be present, it’s best to seek medical assistance right away if you notice any of them: 

• Unable to wake up or respond to your voice or touch
• Very slow, irregular or stopped breathing
• Center part of their eye is very small, often called “pinpoint pupils”
• Fingernails and lips turning blue or purple
• Slow heartbeat and/or low blood pressure

Opioid Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Young adults (age 18 to 25) are the biggest abusers of prescription opioid pain relievers, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And early intervention is the most successful treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction, don’t wait to get help. Call today: 866-930-4673.

Overdoses in Adolescents on the Rise

Opioids strike again – and this time it’s among U.S. teens, whose rate of overdoses doubled from 1999 to 2015, according to newly released figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

In 2015 alone, there were 772 drug overdose deaths for adolescents ages 15 through 19 and they died at a rate of 3.7 per 100,000, according to the CDC. This is yet another stark reminder of the dangers of opioids. 

Boys and girls show different rates of use, with male adolescents being far more susceptible. In 2015, overdose rates for teenage boys rose to 4.6%, while teenage girl rates rose to 2.7%.

The study found that opioids had the highest death rate, followed by benzodiazepines (including Valium and Xanax) – and a combination of these drugs is what often lead to overdose. And heroin and fentanyl (often unintentional) were higher on the list than semisynthetic opioids (painkillers such as hydrocodone and oxycodone). Perhaps proof that solving the opioid crisis takes more than reducing the prescribing of opioids, say researchers. 

3 Facts About Fentanyl

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids urges parents to understand more about fentanyl to keep their families safe. Here are three of the most important facts to know. 

1. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin or morphine. It is a schedule II prescription drug typically used to treat patients with severe pain or to manage pain after surgery. 

2. It is relatively cheap to produce, increasing its presence in illicit street drugs. According to a report from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, evidence suggests that fentanyl is being pressed into pills that resemble OxyContin, Xanax and hydrocodone as well as being cut into heroin and other street drugs. 

3. Naloxone (Narcan) will work in case of overdose, but extra doses may be needed.

Because fentanyl is far more powerful than other opioids, the standard 1-2 doses of naloxone may not be enough. Calling 911 is the first step in responding to any overdose, but in the case of a fentanyl-related overdose the help of emergency responders, who will have more naloxone, is critical.

Getting Help for Opioid Abuse
For information about Hope Academy's young adult substance abuse treatment program, or to begin the admissions process for a loved one, call today: 866-930-4673.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor If You or Your Loved One Is Prescribed an Opioid

With around a hundred people overdosing every day due to opioids — and doctors still relying heavily on these addictive painkillers to treat chronic pain — it’s more important than ever to be an active member of your healthcare team. Simply put: Patient education must be part of your pain med RX.

Here are some key questions to ask your doctor if you or someone you love is prescribed pain pills:

• Are there any non-opioid alternatives or complementary therapies that could help with pain management?
• When should I schedule a follow-up appointment to check how well the meds are working?
• How do I stop using or taper off opioids safely?
• What can I do to reduce the risk of potential side effects from opioids?
• What if I have a history or family history of addiction?
• Are there any serious signs that prompt a call to the doctor or visit to the hospital? For example: excessive sleepiness or craving more of the medication.
• What should I do if I’m still feeling pain?
• Are there any possible interactions with other medications I’m taking? For example: prescriptions for anxiety or sleep problems or any over-the-counter meds that contain acetaminophen.
• How can I tell if I’m developing a tolerance to the medication?
• What are some of the early signs of abuse? For example: watching the clock for your next dose; getting in more arguments with your friends or family members; trouble sleeping; calling for early refills.
• What are the signs of an opioid overdose?
• Do I need a prescription for a naloxone kit? (This medication temporarily restores breathing during an opioid overdose.)
• What’s the best way to safely store my opioid medication?
• How do I dispose of unused opioids?

Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Young adults (age 18 to 25) are the biggest abusers of prescription opioid pain relievers, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And early intervention is the most successful treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction, don’t wait to get help. Call today: 866-930-4673.

5 Scary Effects of Opioid Addiction

The growing opioid epidemic is downright scary. Fatal drug overdoses more than tripled to 52,404 between 1999 and 2015, and the majority of them involved an opioid. What’s more, in 2015, more than 1.1 million young adults, ages 12 to 25, reported misusing prescription pain relievers and 238,000 had used heroin in the past year.

Even if you don’t OD, these drugs have devastating neurological and physical consequences, especially on young adults. A recent article in Teen Vogue, “This Is What Happens to Your Brain When You’re Addicted to Opioids” pinpointed some of these effects.

Here’s a brief summary:  

• It can cause anoxic brain injury. “When you aren’t getting adequate oxygen, your brain cells die, which can severely interfere with who you are and what you are able to do,” David Wilkinson, M.D., former medical director at the Foundry Treatment Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, tells Teen Vogue. This can be as extreme as being in a vegetative state for the rest of your life to more subtle consequences, including speech, vision, or hearing difficulties, impaired cognition and motor skills, and poor emotional regulation. 
• It can hijack your brain and hinder your excitement for life. "You start doing poorly in school, lose your job, eat poorly, can’t maintain relationships, accrue a criminal record, miss out on milestones…the list goes on and on," David Wilkinson, MD, former medical director at the Foundry Treatment Center in Steamboat Springs, CO, told Teen Vogue.
• It can provoke mental disorders like depression, anxiety or psychosis. “You may have a susceptibility to a psychological illness that only manifests upon exposure to certain triggers, such as a drug,” John F. Kelly, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry in addiction medicine at Harvard Medical School and founder and director of the Recovery Research Institute, told Teen Vogue. 
• It stunts your emotional maturity. When you’re using drugs to self-medicate, “you don’t have a chance to build the skills you need to tolerate stress in your daily life,” Dr. Kelly says. He adds: If someone starts using drugs at age 15 and has been addicted for 10 years he would still have the E.Q. (emotional quotient) of a 15-year-old — despite being 25. 
• It increases your risk of infectious diseases. "Sharing needles, which may not be clean, can transmit infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV," Kelly says.

Getting Help for Opioid Abuse
For information about Hope Academy's young adult substance abuse treatment program, or to begin the admissions process for a loved one, call today: 866-930-4673.

Heroin Overdose Deaths on Rise

Just in: The Drug Enforcement Administration released its 2016 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), which details the impact of illicit drugs on the United States. The report further illuminated the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation and the growing heroin user population. And, perhaps most alarming, it showed that overdose deaths more than tripled between 2010 and 2014 due to the use of these drugs.

Other highlights of the recent report include: 

• In 2014, approximately 129 people died every day as a result of drug poisoning and 61% (79) of them are pharmaceutical opioid or heroin related.
• Heroin overdose deaths are high across the United States, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest.  
• Deaths in the “synthetic opioids” category rose 79% from 3,097 in 2013 to 5,544 in 2014. Fentanyl, which is sometimes added to heroin batches, or mixed with other adulterants and sold as counterfeit heroin, is contributing to most of this increase. 
• Methamphetamine continues to be readily available throughout the U.S., and methamphetamine distribution and use continues to contribute to violent and property crime across the nation. 
• Cocaine availability and use in the U.S. increased across multiple fronts between 2014 and 2015 – and it’s likely continue to rise in the near future. 

"Sadly, this report reconfirms that opioids such as heroin and fentanyl - and diverted prescription pain pills - are killing people in this country at a horrifying rate," acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg told sources. "We face a public health crisis of historic proportions. Countering it requires a comprehensive approach that includes law enforcement, education, and treatment."

Finding Help for a Loved One
One of the most important decisions you can make is to support your friend or family member in seeking treatment for opioid addiction. For information about Hope Academy's young adult substance abuse treatment program, or to begin the admissions process for a loved one, call 866-930-4673.

Do’s and Don’ts of Responding to Opioid Overdose

Would you know what to do (and what not to do) if a friend or family member was overdosing on opioids? The most important thing to remember is to respond immediately – call 911 – if you notice any warning signs.

In general, an overdose can be identified by the “opioid overdose triad,” which is a combination of pinpoint pupils, unconsciousness, or respiratory depression.

And don’t hesitate to get help out of the fear of getting in trouble yourself. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 32 states and the District of Columbia currently have “Good Samaritan” statutes. This law prevents arrest, charges, or prosecution for possession of a controlled substance or paraphernalia if emergency assistance is sought for someone who is experiencing an opioid-induced overdose.


Just pick up the phone and say: “Someone is unresponsive and not breathing.” Give a clear address and/or description of your location. And remember these do’s and don'ts as outlined by SAMHSA:

Do...

• Support the person’s breathing by administering oxygen or performing rescue breathing.
• Administer naloxone, if available. Note: All naloxone products have an expiration date, so it is important to check the expiration date and obtain replacement naloxone as needed.
• Put the person in the “recovery position” on the side, if he or she is breathing independently.
• Stay with the person and keep him/her warm.

Don't... 

• Slap or try to forcefully stimulate the person — it will only cause further injury. If you're unable to wake the person by shouting, rubbing your knuckles on the sternum (center of the chest or rib cage), or light pinching, he or she may be unconscious.
• Put the person into a cold bath or shower. This increases the risk of falling, drowning, or going into shock.
• Inject the person with any substance (salt water, milk, “speed,” heroin, etc.). The only safe and appropriate treatment is naloxone.
• Try to make the person vomit drugs that he or she may have swallowed. Choking or inhaling vomit into the lungs can cause a fatal injury. 

Finding Help for a Loved One
One of the most important decisions you can make is to support your friend or family member in seeking treatment for opioid addiction. For information about Hope Academy's young adult substance abuse treatment program, or to begin the admissions process for a loved one, call 866-930-4673.

Young Adults and Prescription Drug Abuse: How You Can Help

If you’re visiting this website, it’s likely that you already know the dangers of prescription drug abuse and that children of addicts are at greater risk for addiction than other kids. And that half of young adults mistakenly think that prescription or over-the-counter drugs are safer than street drugs. 

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, caregiver, or teacher, you can have an enormous impact on a young adult's attitude toward prescription drugs — and in conveying the risk of abusing them. 

6 Steps for Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse

Talk it up.  Since prescription drugs are legal, many teens mistakenly think that parents won’t care as much if they get caught abusing these meds. Convey the dangers to your kids and let them know that you do care and that you are always there to help if they’re in trouble.

Track your meds. And don’t dismiss one or two missing pills; this could be a red flag.

Store meds properly. Keep your or your child's medications in a secure location; you may even consider putting them under lock and key if your child is showing any signs of abuse. 

Get rid of old or unused medicine properly. Many towns hold prescription-pill drop-offs to help community members safely dispose of old or unused pills. Check with your local police, sanitation department, and pharmacies.

Get family members and friends onboard. Talk to grandparents and parents of your child’s friends about properly safeguarding prescription drugs in their homes.

Learn the warning signs: These may include: 

• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Wanting to spent a lot of time alone
• Giving up interests and hobbies
• Hostile, angry and aggressive behavior toward anyone who tries to control their actions
• Unexplained crying or routine irritable
• Lack of self-care and cleanliness
• Loss of interest in schoolwork or failing grades
• Poor sleep patterns — sleeping during the day and staying up all night or for days at a time
• Disregard for family rules or curfew

Take Action Today
If your son or daughter has a prescription drug abuse problem, act now. Our staff at Hope Academy specializes in young adult addiction recovery, and will help your child pursue sobriety and open doors to a brighter academic and professional future. Call today: 866-930-4673.