Updated: Sep. 2, 2023 at 7:11 PM PDT
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Jeremy Dubin from the Front Range Clinic weighs in on the myths of addiction and opioid overdoses for Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD).
International Overdose Awareness Day is on Thursday. It’s a time to spotlight and educate the public on the myths of addiction and overdose. Webinar supporter Melissa Wright talks to the chief medical officer at the Front Range Clinic to help the public better understand how to deal with drug misuse and overdoses.
Officials from the Front Range Clinic here in Grand Junction are at the forefront of fighting the battle against addiction and dealing with overdose in patients. The public often views the stigma of addiction in a negative light, dissuading those who need help to often shy away from accepting it or looking for ways to get help. More than 1 million people have died since the year 2000 from drug overdose. Opioids are a main factor in that statistic.
In 2021, 45 people died each day from a prescription opioid overdose, totaling nearly 17,000 deaths. Prescription opioids were involved in nearly 21% of all opioid overdose deaths in 2021, according to a National Library of Medicine study. They found a connection between mental disorders and overdose, but more evidence needs to be collected. Jeremy Dubin from the Front Reach Clinic believes there are many more factors in the public’s view about the stigma people place on those dealing with addiction.
There are a lot of myths around substance use disorders that include that this is a moral failing, that people are choosing to become addicted, that when they experiment with drugs and or alcohol, they are just inherently bad people, and that they deserve this consequence.
To honor the lives of those who have overdosed. This week, the Mason County Opioid Response Group will display flags at Lincoln Park. The organizations will also be there to connect people with local resources throughout the day.
