Abstract

In the medical field, there is always talk about prescription drugs versus street drugs and its effect it has on today's society. The opiate problem started in the hospital field to relieve pain. The doctors did not realize how addictive the medicine could be and how hard it would be to stop taking the drug. Opiates became a big gateway drug into the street drug area for people trying to get a feeling of numbness. After taking medicine over a long period of time your body builds up a tolerance for the amount you take making it ineffective. Patients will start to increase the dosage on their own trying to get the same feeling as the first time, leading to a more dangerous dose. Narcan is a drug used in hospitals to give to someone overdosing on opiates. Narcan does not cause any high of its own. Narcan can reverse the effects that opiates have on the brain and block the reactions. Narcan is only accredited for opiates and if the patient has anything in their system it would not prevent any over dose for those drugs. Although Narcan can save a person’s life at that moment, it is just a short-term “fix”. Narcan doesn’t fix the opiate epidemic but continues the addiction course, with its availability it has allowed the addicts to have an idea of a safety net pushing their limits with their tolerance.. Doctors or surgeons should look at other treatments before writing these prescriptions for this drug. Long-term treatment options are needed to actually help stop the problem. Instead of one drug fighting another drug, entering a 90-day long-term inpatient rehab is a higher chance of a successful recovery.

Year Manuscript Completed

Spring 2020

Senior Project Advisor

G. Michael Barton

Degree Awarded

Bachelor of Integrated Studies Degree

Field of Study

Health Care Administration

Document Type

Thesis - Murray State Access only

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