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Video: Americans consume vast majority of the world's opioids

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Video: Americans consume vast majority of the world's opioids

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-Kopf, Dan. “The Surprising Geography of Opioid Use around the World.” Quartz, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2018, qz.com/1198965/the-surprising-geography-of-opioid-use-around-the-world/.

-“Norco Abuse.” DrugAbuse.com, 28 Oct. 2017, drugabuse.com/library/norco-abuse/#abuse-treatment.

-“Norco Addiction Warning Signs, Symptoms and Treatment - Norco Addiction Therapy.”Luxury.Rehabs.com, luxury.rehabs.com/norco-addiction/.

-“Hydrocodone History and Statistics.” DrugAbuse.com, 29 Jan. 2016, drugabuse.com/library/hydrocodone-history-and-statistics/.

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The article displays how the use and misuse of narcotics (including Norco) are  increasing in numbers. The U.S. opioid use is the highest among any other country in the world, and more than 50% higher than Germany, the second-ranked country of the twenty most populous countries. Even in countries such as India and Japan, the use and misuse of Narcotics is on an incline.

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The pattern of opioids use varies widely around the world. In the United States, one daily dose of opioids was prescribed for every 20 people from 2013-15. In similarly wealthy Japan, one daily dose was prescribed for every 800 people over the same period.

As part of international drug-control conventions, countries report the use of narcotics-like opioids, cocaine, and cannabis-for legal medicinal and scientific use to the United Nations each year. Opioids include such drugs as morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl. (Heroin is also an opioid, but is not reported on here because it is not used legally.)

The UN's 2017 report on narcotic use reveal that the US, currently facing a crisis of opioid overuse, is an extreme outlier. US opioid use is the highest of any country in the world, and more than 50% higher than Germany, the second-ranked country of the twenty most populous countries.

Legal opioid use per capita in the US is more than 2,000 times higher than in India. This is probably bad for both counties.

In the US, far too many people are becoming addicted to drugs who would be better treated with other medicines or therapy. Jay Joshi, the former chairman of the National Pain Foundation, wrote in Quartz that ignorance among physicians and aggressive marketing by opioid manufacturers are the main reasons for overprescribing.

Yet in India and other poor countries, many people are not being prescribed opioids when strong pain relief is necessary, such the late stages of cancer. In many of these countries, there is still an unfortunate taboo around the use of these drugs.

Dig a little deeper into the data, and you find large variations in the types of opioids that are used in different countries. For example, of the five countries with the highest prescription rates, Germans are almost twice as likely to use fentanyl as the others, while hydrocodone is widely used in the US but barely prescribed elsewhere.

This is mostly down to regulations and cost. Due to its high addictiveness, hydrocodone is not available for medical use in most of the world (Vicodin is the drug's most popular branded version). Hydrocodone was once a schedule III drug in the US, rather than the more restrictive schedule II, and people could get the a prescription refilled at the pharmacy without seeing a doctor, leading to it becoming highly popular. Fentanyl's popularity in Germany is likely because it is cheap and can be easily administered via a patch.

Opioids have incredible power to make lives better, as well as destroy them. The data reveal that some countries have gone too far in encouraging their use, while others haven't gone far enough.

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The surprising geography of opioid use around the world

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The pattern of opioids use varies widely around the world. In the United States, one daily dose of opioids was prescribed for every 20 people from 2013-15. In similarly wealthy Japan, one daily dose was prescribed for every 800 people over the same period. As part of international drug-control conventions, countries report the use of...

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Norco is an opioid and Michigan Doctors, Dentists, and other drug prescribers are finding a way to fight opioid abuse (including Norco). The Michigan Automated Prescription System had been successfully updated and is now functional. It allows prescribers to see which schedule 2-5 substances have been prescribed to patients. This new updated system will hopefully fight and reduce opioid abuse in the state of Michigan.

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LANSING, MI -- Doctors, dentists and other prescribers will be able to quickly access a patient's prescription history before recommending scheduled substances under a new computer system rolled out this month.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced Tuesday that the Michigan Automated Prescription System had been successfully updated and was now operational. It allows prescribers to see which schedule 2-5 substances have been prescribed to patients.

The new update brings the time it takes to look those up down from up to 10 minutes to a few seconds. It allows data sharing between states, features real-time data uploads and has a dashboard and online tutorials for prescribers using the system.

"We're hopeful prescribers and practitioners from across the state will utilize this powerful system to effectively measure a patient's potential danger in abusing these addictive drugs," said LARA Director Shelly Edgerton.

The system upgrade is part of an overall initiative to combat opioid addiction in Michigan.
Governor, lawmakers focus on changing culture, targeting opioid addiction
Gov. Rick Snyder's Michigan Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force had recommended the Michigan Automated Prescription System be upgraded. Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who chaired the task force, said the system upgrade was an important part of the overall effort.

"Replacing the outdated MAPS is central in our fight against the opioid epidemic that has been so tragic for Michigan families," Calley said.
"The modern system gives prescribers and dispensers state-of-the-art tools to make more informed decisions, intervene earlier and spend additional time with patients and customers."

The company behind the new system is Appriss, a leader in prescription-monitoring technology that is active in 43 states.

The Legislature appropriated $2.47 million for LARA to begin replacing the old system in 2016 and an additional $2.02 million for ongoing maintenance and support. The department implemented the system in six months.

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Michigan doctors have new prescription system to fight opioid abuse

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LANSING, MI -- Doctors, dentists and other prescribers will be able to quickly access a patient's prescription history before recommending scheduled substances under a new computer system rolled out this month. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced Tuesday that the Michigan Automated Prescription System had been successfully updated and was now operational.

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A mixture of hydrocodone  and acetaminophen.

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The Norco drug is one of the most abused painkillers in the US, accounting for the more drug abuse instances than any other narcotic.

More than 23 million people over the age of 12 have abused hydrocodone-based drugs, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers

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Norco was elevated to a Schedule II drug by the DEA in 2014 to implement stricter control over the use of the drug. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most popular street drugs today.

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Use:  It is intended to relieve moderate to severe pain.

Effects: Norco contains the narcotic hydrocodone, it can be addictive and should be used with caution. Recreational use, prolonged use, and/or inappropriately  high doses of Norco can result in dependence, overdose , and even death. The long-term effects of Norco addiction include urinary problems, hypoventilation, jaundice, liver damage, and hearing loss. There is also an increased risk of heart attacks and even coma.

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the more stable the living environment, the higher the recovery rates for recovery, which is why inpatient residential treatment works well. In addition to inpatient treatment, options for recovery include:

12-step programs

SMART Recovery (Self Management and Recovery Training).

Outpatient Treatment Programs