STATISTICS & TRENDS

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Human Trafficking and Drug Abuse

The terms “human trafficking” and “drug abuse” are terms that invoke senses of anguish, and despair. Human trafficking and drug abuse are terrible occurrences, and both occur in the U.S. and the world.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Opiates Show Little Effect At Easing Post Surgical Pain in Male Only Procedure

A recent article in U.S. News reported on a new study published in The Journal of Urology. The data suggests that taking opiate-based painkillers after a vasectomy does not improve pain control. Furthermore, taking such drugs after a vasectomy is also...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Will it Cost $800 Million the First Year to Bring Oklahoma’s Opioid Problem Under Control?

In an Oklahoma courtroom, state attorneys claim that Johnson & Johnson should pay their fair share for their role in creating the opioid epidemic that claimed thousands of lives in the state. Why will this cost more than $800 million the first year?

STATISTICS & TRENDS

As Demand for Illicit Substances Grows, Drug Distribution Networks Continue to Evolve

When my parents and grandparents were growing up, there were only a couple of drugs readily available: alcohol and tobacco. Some people slipped into alcoholism and others may have ruined their health by smoking too much and too long.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why is the Northeast Hit Hardest by Opiate Deaths?

It is no mystery that the United States is struggling with a drug addiction crisis. In October of 2017, the opioid epidemic alone (just one facet of America's addiction problem) was declared a Public Health Emergency. Drug addiction has spread across the...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Yesterday's Battle Against Big Tobacco, Today's Battle Against Big Pharma

A cursory glance at recent headlines will reveal story after story of huge, multi-billion dollar pharma companies being sued for the part they played in the creation of the opiate epidemic. Now the cat is out of the bag, one could say, and the American...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Sesame Street Addresses Addicted Parents and Harmful Effects of Drugs

On the subject of drugs, many parents often don’t know even how to begin broaching this subject. That is particularly true if parents have had little to no experience with drugs in their own lives. But parents see the news reports, and they hear the...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Drug Use in the Food and Beverage Industry Under Scrutiny

In a nation where our drug problem grows by the year, we’re starting to see drug use and alcohol misuse crop up in businesses. Entire industries have been affected. We hear about office accidents, workplace injuries, falls, and so on, often caused by...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

How Do We Reverse the Drug Problem by 2025?

An article published by NPR and titled “Jump In Overdoses Shows Opioid Epidemic Has Worsened” sheds light on the condition of the drug crisis in America. This article points out how the drug crisis has surged forward in recent years, making it even...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Expert Testimony, Opioid Drugs, and a 21st Century Epidemic

Within the opioid addiction epidemic in this country, several types of drugs play a role. But opiates take the lead for causing the most harm, for taking the most lives, and for creating the largest public health burden.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Illicit Fentanyl Trafficking Patterns Shift with China Still a Major Player

Keeping drugs out of our country requires monitoring the shifts in production and trafficking patterns. Recently, the way fentanyl has been coming into the U.S. has made one of those shifts.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Retired Navy Admiral Is Working to Prevent Drug Overdoses

The media is so often filled with unhappy circumstances, lousy news, hardships, and unpleasant events. That’s what sells. So when USA Today featured an interview with a retired U.S. Navy admiral about a non-profit that he and his wife started to counter...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Does the U.S. Prescribe More Drugs than Other Countries?

A striking report from U.S. News revealed that American surgical patients are nine times more likely to receive a prescription for opioid pain relievers than Swedish patients. Even bringing the focus closer to home and comparing U.S. prescribing rates...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

“Sober Curious” and “Straightedge”—Dreaming of a Youth Culture Which Supports Abstinence

Last week I saw an article in U.S. News titled, “The Rise of the Sober Curious.” The subheading read, “Alcohol-free events, bars, and drinks are increasing as people explore ways to lower their alcohol intake – and improve health.” Seeing this...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Doesn’t the U.S. Treat Overdose Deaths Like Other Preventable Causes of Death?

Though it might be a morbid prospect to do so, one of the reasons why it is so essential to study and analyze causes of death is because doing so sets the stage for creating better health conditions in America.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

How Hard Was It to Detect the Opioid Epidemic as It Grew?

How did we get into the situation of opioid addiction like the one the U.S. struggles with now? To figure out how it happened, let’s take a look at how company executives may make decisions for the good of their company but that create serious problems...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Why Fentanyl Is Still the Most Threatening Illicit Drug

The ravages created by fentanyl may not be obvious to you as you walk down the main street of your town. But factually, in some strata of life in America, fentanyl is creating unprecedented devastation. This drug (actually a family of drugs) is taking...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Campus Safety—Higher Learning without Substance Abuse

When we think of college, we think of institutions of higher learning. We think of places that our young adult sons and daughters go to expand their knowledge, to flourish, to grow intellectually, and to develop their life goals and ambitions.

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Drug Deaths, Suicide, and a Three-Year Drop in Life Expectancy - What Does It Mean?

One of the most telling indicators of the overall health of a nation’s population is its life expectancy. When a population’s life expectancy improves, this is a sign of overall improvement for that country. When a country’s life expectancy falls,...

STATISTICS & TRENDS

Most Opioid Pill Addicts Still Receive Opioid Prescriptions Following an Overdose

Addiction is the health crisis of the century for millions of Americans and their families. A cursory examination of the addiction epidemic timeline reveals that pharmaceutical opioids played a huge role in the creation of the epidemic.