Opioid Addiction Advocacy

Opioid addiction is a long-lasting disease that can cause major health, social, and economic problems.

Opioids are a class of drugs that act in the nervous system to produce feelings of pleasure and pain relief.

Opioid addiction is characterized by a powerful, compulsive urge to use opioid drugs, even when they are no longer required medically.

Taking these drugs over a long period of time can change the chemistry of the brain and lead to dependence.

This addiction can cause life-threatening health problems, including the risk of overdose.

Both illegal and legal opioids carry a risk of overdose if a person takes too much of the drug, or if opioids are combined with other drugs.

History of Pharmaceutical Opioids & US Opioid Epidemic

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.

This massive increase in the prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription drugs before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.

Devastating consequences of the U.S. opioid epidemic included the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to drug use and misuse during pregnancy.

In 2017, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency regarding the US opioid epidemic and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis.

Oftentimes people are not fully aware of the scale of the U.S. opioid epidemic and the damage that is caused to families across the country.

Here are some quick facts that may enlighten you:

• 3 million people misused prescription opioids in 2018.
• 47,600 people died from overdosing on opioids.
• An estimated 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdoses.
• 808,000 people used heroin in 2018.
• 40% of opioid overdoses involve a prescription opioid.

Addiction can be crippling to the body’s physical and mental health.

However, it is important to remember that you are not in this battle alone.

There are plenty of options out there for you to begin your path to recovery.

Some opioid addiction resources include, but are not limited to:

• Substance Abuse Treatment Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP – a free, confidential service from SAMHSA that provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
• Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator – HRSA’s Community Health Centers are poised to spot someone dealing with addiction and help patients coordinate their treatment.
• What is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families – Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems. Answers questions about substance abuse, symptoms, different types of treatments, and recovery.
• What to Do If Your Teen or Young Adult Has a Problem with Drugs – NIDA answers questions about teens and substance abuse.
• Patient & Partner Tools – CDC tools help patients and doctors choose treatment options after the risks and benefits are carefully considered.

Addiction is a damaging disease. There is no shame in getting help.

Start your road to recovery today. We are here to help.

TorHoerman Law was established by a group of attorneys who fought diligently against pharmaceutical opioid manufacturers for years.

Through their experiences, they gained a knowledge about the dangers of some pharmaceuticals and decided that they would try to help individuals injured by these products by becoming bad drug lawyers.

These attorneys know the long-standing effects that opioids will have on our communities and want to do everything in their power to combat this crisis.

Although we are not currently litigating any pharmaceutical opiate cases, we still do what we can to assist those who have been injured at no fault of their own.