Recently, America has seen an increase in substance abuse and obesity, but is the co-occurrence just a coincidence? The idea that there is a connection between the two seems unhinged at first, but when we investigate the connection, the evidence is astonishing. The co-occurrence can only mean that obesity leads to substance abuse. Many people believe that its because of the technological advances and greed of pharmaceutical companies. Do you agree?
Whats the problem?
The pain medication was created to help patients with physical pain after surgery and most of the time it helped. In 1990, health care providers started to increase the amount opioids prescribed in result of pharmaceutical companies claiming that they were safe as long as they weren't misused. Well like all drugs people began to misuse them which proved that they were in fact highly addictive, this resulted in the opioid overdose rate skyrocketing. Unfortunately, it started to affect gastric bypass surgery patients after the procedure.
Here's why:
Many obese people seek the gastric surgery to help save their lives, but really the drugs that are being prescribed afterwards risk addiction. According to Medscape, of the patients that were prescribed opioids before having the surgery 77% of them continued using them afterwards. And after three years the percentage is increased by 18%.
Drug addiction and food addiction are connected through a dysfunction inside the brain at the reward sites. The National Institute of Health states that when you eat food the 2 dopamine receptors (D2DR) drop. The drop is analogous to the drop seen in humans when using heroin (opioids). It is probable that drugs used to treat addiction can also be used to help people who overeat.
The amount of opioids prescribed have increased since the 19th century because of the aggressive push by opioid manufacturers. CNN reported that in February of this year, the entire state of Arkansas is suing 52 opioid manufacturers because of the destruction the drugs have caused the community, police force, and health resources. https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/30/health/arkansas-opioid-lawsuit/index.html
But...
What about surgeries other than gastric bypass? The rate of abuse after any type of surgery where painkillers are prescribed is still evident. According to a peer reviewed journal, 4.8% of patients who were prescribed opioids still used them years after the procedure.
Why sue them out of business why not regulate them? The drugs are already FDA approved therefore they are already “regulated”. But if we examine the increasing rate of opioid overdose it is clear that opioids are still being forced onto people by health care providers. According to CNN, in 2015, there was enough opioids prescribed to give everyone in the United States a filled bottle.
Don't stand by, stand up!
Pharmaceutical companies are benefiting off of the two epidemics that are plaguing America. They are claiming that opioids are miracle drugs that can solve your weight loss and physical pain. The co-occurrence is no phenomenon, it was created to fuel the greed of the Pharmaceutical companies. Together we must stand up against the dark assassin's of America and let them know that they are going to pay for the damages they have costed everyone.
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