Opioid Abuse Research Paper

Gabriela Ramos
English Composition 122
John Lyons
April 22, 2017
Opioid Abuse: National Epidemic The United States has prevailed through numerous deadly epidemics in the past involving diseases such as Smallpox and Polio of which have killed thousands of people. All of which were overcome with the help of the country’s top medical researchers. Unfortunately, the country is currently undergoing through an Opioid epidemic, considered one of the leading causes of injury deaths in the United States. Whilst, these prescription drugs was created by pharmaceutical companies to further help relieve pain, depression, sleep insomnia, amongst many other psychological issues, people have now become addicted and dependent on these medications for daily
These particular clinics are usually operated by physicians or other health care clinicians without an eligible state medical license; therefore, making these clinics illegal. Ordinarily, in comparison to fully licensed physicians these ill-conceived physicians examine the patients at a minimum level. Pill Mills do not discriminate against any of their patients whether it is their nationality, age, sexual orientation, or gender identification. They also do not discriminate against the economically disadvantaged, as long as the individual has the money to purchase the merchandise. The majority of these clinics are all over the state. A lot of these particular locations appear like a private practice office, but the only difference between a legit doctors’ office and Pill Mills is that the majority of the Pill Mills’ offers their own pharmacies to dispense high amount of opioids in the house. (Donna
Within the two years Florida lawmakers approved the opioid reform, there was a dwindling decrease in opioids overdoses reported. For example, in the County of Pinellas where it had approximately 65 Pill Mill establishments, these locations were drastically obliterated due to the new policy set in place. Within this particular time frame, an estimated 80 doctors from these Pill Mills has had their medical licenses revoked (Alvarez). With this beneficial outcome, the state of Florida has established a powerful precedence for the rest of the United States dealing with similar opioid regulation problems. If there was definite support from the government to crackdown on Pill Mills, then the whole opioid abuse would decline dramatically as shown in the State of Florida by modifying the Pill Mill law. To conclude, the State of Florida has set the example for other states experiencing opioid abuse among their natives by placing a law eliminating Pill Mills and targeting their fraudulent clinicians behind this scheme. Although it does not entirely purge opioid abuse it inaugurates other states to with similar opiod abuse to take action as the State of Florida by placing a determined regulation to liberate those who are in opioid