OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Gbangbolor3

Branice H. Gbangbolor

Mary Bodelson

English 1121-56

10/30/2022

Research Proposal

1. Who is to blame for the Opioid Epidemic?

The opioid epidemic is slowly becoming a major public health problem across America. Overdose deaths involving opioids have quadrupled since 1999. Over 115 people every day in the United States die from an opioid overdose. No one person or group is to blame for the opioid epidemic (Hirsch, 2017). Rather, it is the result of a complex interaction of factors. Some factors that have contributed to the opioid epidemic include The overprescribing of opioids by doctors. Pharmaceutical companies during the 1990s marketed opioids aggressively as an effective method for pain treatment (Hirsch, 2017). It led to more prescriptions being written for these drugs. The second factor is the illegal manufacture and sale of opioids. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is being made in illegal laboratories and sold on the black market. It is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, to increase its potency.

Third, there is the ease of access to opioids. Opioids are available both legally and illegally. People addicted to opioids often turn to illegal sources, such as heroin, when they can no longer obtain pills. Fourth, the stigma attached to addiction. There is still much stigma attached to addiction, which prevents many people from seeking help. This stigma also makes it difficult to pass laws and regulations that would help to address the opioid epidemic. The opioid epidemic is a complex problem with no easy solutions. It will require a multi-faceted approach to address all of the contributing factors.Comment by Bodelson, Mary L: Branice, this needs to address the current controversy with this issue. You need to talk about who is to blame and who argues that. So some argue it is the big pharmaceutical companies that are to blame since they lied about the addictive nature. Others argue it the doctors’ fault for prescribing these too readily, and others argue it is those who are addicted that are too blame.

1. Argumentative issue

The current controversy is the opioid pandemic. The two sides of the argument are those who believe that opioids are the cause of the problem and those who believe that opioids are the solution to the problem. There are well-known people involved in the issue, such as President Donald Trump and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. The former President, Donald Trump, believes that opioids cause the problem and need to be removed from the market. Newt Gingrich believes that opioids are the solution to the problem and should be used to help people in pain (Mendoza, Rivera, and Hansen, 2019). Comment by Bodelson, Mary L: I am not sure I follow what part of the assignment this is?

2. My stance

I believe the opioid pandemic is a significant problem in America that needs to be addressed. I have seen firsthand how addiction can ruin lives and tear families apart. I also know that many people who become addicted to opioids start taking them for legitimate medical reasons. However, the ease with which these drugs can be obtained and the fact that they are so addictive make them a serious problem. There is a need for stricter controls and better ways to prevent people from becoming addicted to opioids in the first place and to help those who are already addicted get the treatment they need.

3. A tentative thesis statement

The opioid pandemic is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.Comment by Bodelson, Mary L: This needs to be more argumentative, and you need to state who you will be arguing is the major cause of this opioid epidemic.

4. A list of possible points to be covered

The following are potential points that could be covered in a paper on the opioid pandemic:

-The number of opioid overdoses in the United States

-Risk factors for opioid overdose

-Preventative measures for opioid overdose

– The impact of the opioid crisis on families, communities, and society

-The opioid epidemic's economic effects

-Its effects on the healthcare system Comment by Bodelson, Mary L: These need to cover more in terms of who is to blame and why.

ReferencesWorks Cited

Hirsch, R. (2017). The opioid epidemic: it is time to place blame where it belongs. Missouri medicine,  114(2), 82.

Mendoza, S., Rivera, A. S., & Hansen, H. B. (2019). Re‐racialization of Addiction and the Redistribution of Blame in the White Opioid Epidemic.  Medical anthropology quarterly,  33(2), 242-262.Comment by Bodelson, Mary L: These need to be in MLA format, and you didn’t need to use outside sources for this essay.