The addiction to the Opioid painkiller in the US

Over the past few years, there has been an increase in opioid painkiller abuse in the US. According to Chihuri and Guohua (2017), the presented problem has been labeled a pandemic, prompting several legislators to develop strategies for putting an end to the addiction to potent drugs. Additionally, a number of lawmakers have taken action to restrict access to strong medications. There has been a sharp increase in the number of fatalities caused by opioid addiction. According to Martins et al. (2015), by the end of 2014, the number of drug overdose deaths had increased considerably since 2000, rising by more than 14,000 deaths. With these concerns, it is important to manage

the presented conditions to reduce the number of deaths from the drug overdose. Opiod medication can be prescribed in three common forms such as morphine, OxyContin and Vicodin. The drugs are administered in different doses to treat various health conditions such as cancer, chronic pain, and arthritis among others. Narcan is an example of a medication which can be utilized to reverse the effects of opioid in the event of an overdose (Martins et al., 2015). The presented analysis explores the advantages and disadvantages of law enforcement carrying Narcan with an aim of combating the Opioid overdoses.

Advantages

Reduced number of deaths arising from the overdose

Law enforcers carrying Narcan have proven to be effective in combating the increased cases of deaths arising from opioid overdoses. According to Park and Moakley (2017), such law enforcers have been able to save lives by the administration of naloxone, also known as Narcan, to persons suffering from drug overdose. In the event of a drug overdose call, a police officer is always the first person to arrive on the scene in most cases. Most abusers have lost their lives in the past since it took more time than expected for an antidote to be provided for their opioid overdose. Clearly, the estimated time that critical patients have before succumbing after an overdose is seven and a half minutes. Taking into consideration a case study provided by Park and Moakley (2017), it is clear that a dose of naloxone played an important role in saving the life of an addict after an overdose. The increased number of overdose has promoted law enforcers and emergency medical technicians to carry the drug which is known to be effective in handling the presented concern in less than two minutes. Sharma and Sharma (2017) reveals that the administration of Narcan has brought back opioid overdose patients within a few minutes by reversing the effects of the presented medication.

Self-care Administration

Allowing the law enforcers to carry Narcan to administer combat instances of opioid overdoses is also highly advisable and important due to the increased rates of exposure of the drug to the officer in the presented instance. In the past, police officers have suffered accidental near-fatal overdoses when handling opioid patients (Martins et al., 2015). In most instances, the accidental exposures are due to fentanyl. The presented form of drug is known to be highly fatal and can be accidentally ingested since it is absorbed through the skin. The rates at which it reaches the blood stream is also high which explains why it is considered a deadly drug. During such cases, the officer’s life may be at threat unless Narcan is administered within the shortest possible time.

Acts as another safety tool when it comes to self-control

Law enforcers should be allowed to carry and administer Narcan is it acts as another form of safety tool. Policing and procedure within the law enforcement field requires that all law enforcement officers should carry the drug when on duty as a policy and procedure. Provides that officers will always carry naloxone as a person or within the squad car in order to offer assistance to a fellow officer who believes that the has been exposed to an overdose of n opioid-based drug accidentally while on duty. Having the presented factor in mind, it is clear that the drug can serve the purpose of another safety tool to the officers who are putting themselves at risk to support the members of the community. In most cases, carrying the drug has served as an important strategy for survival for the officers who handle victims of accidental exposure to opioid based on the notion that they are also at a great risk of exposure in the process.

Biblical Case in support of Narcan

From a theological perspective, drug overdose should always be treated rather than having the victims arrested. Various Christian counsellors have raised their concern on the issue of identifying appropriate prevention and treatment for drug addiction cases. The main focus of the presented move is to reduce the instances of drug overdose. Naloxone is one of the suggested forms of treatment which can be administered to drug overdose patients. Catholics and Christians are focused on reducing the instances of drug overdose in the community as a way of addressing the presented concern as assisting addicts overcome their addiction. Even when administering the presented drugs, Christians recommend that the doctors and the law enforcers should always let the addicts know that they can overcome their addition through Christ who offers a healing process. Furthermore, the doctors should also ensure that the addicts are informed of the fact that the overcoming their addiction is a painful and difficult process which can overcome through counselling and therapy. Apparently, churches have in place various Narcotics and Alcoholic programs focused on guiding person overcome their addiction (O'Donnell, Gladden & Seth, 2017).

Any form of suffering such as drug addiction case should establish proper means of overcoming their addiction. The presented notion stems from the fact that God created man and granted him with power over nature. The presented aspect means that they have the ability to establish remedies for their troubles, such as the use of Narcan to address accidental Opioid cases. According to First Timothy 5:23, Christians are guided to no longer drink water but utilize a little wine for the sake of frequent ailments and stomach trouble. According to the apostle, frequent ailments should always be remedied. The rates at which accidental opioid exposures are being reported in the United states makes the concern a frequent ailment. Therefore, the use of naloxone as a form of treatment is advisable to avoid severe pain and lack of comfort which comes about with the presented concern (Wellman, 2016).

Disadvantages

Lack of proper patient evaluation

One of the major downside associated with provided law enforcers with the Narcan to administer to the overdose patient is their ability to administer naloxone without proper evaluation of the unresponsive individual. Behar et al. (2016) provides that in several instances, there are cases where the law enforcers focus on a single information source and fail to see the whole picture (Humphreys, 2016). For instance, some may hold an assumption that the person in question is overdosed on opioid and later administer naloxone without investigating and analyzing the other displaying symptoms. The presented aspect puts the lives of the members of the community at a threat in that administering Narcan for the wrong reasons may result to drastic health concerns to the patient in the long run.

Lack of proper medical training

Providing law enforcers with Narcan which they administer to opioid overdose patients is also uncalled for since they identified individuals lack requisite medical training to handle other concerns that may arise in case of any complications. According to Martins et al. (2015), opioid withdrawal in its form poses a significant threat to the health of a person in question. Clearly, the withdrawal can result to serious cases of hypertension, vomiting, diaphoresis, agitation, anxiety, and tachycardia. The presented factors are majorly unacknowledged and unappreciated by persons who lack a formal medical training such as the law enforcers. The presented fact derives that offering the law enforcers with an opportunity of carrying and administering the drug put the life of the patient in question at further risk which could have been avoided (Thompson, 2017). Clearly, Narcan should only be administered within a prehospital setting where there are appropriate devices and professionals who can handle the presented withdrawal symptoms to avoid putting the life of the person in question at a further risk.

Fiscal and monetary sense

Administering naloxone medication to law enforcers to combat opioid overdoses may pose a strain on the financial resources of the community. Behar et al. (2016) records that a 2-mg syringe that is prefilled with Narcan costs about $ 20. Offering all the law enforcement officers with the presented drug to ensure a fast response is impractical and poses a strain on the budget set aside for the public safety needs. Clearly, the costs of logistics are extremely high alongside those incurred in replacing the unused drugs which are due for expiration. Clearly, the drugs expire within a period of 1-2 years after they are purchased (Behar et al., 2016).

Analysis of a biblical case against drugs

Despite the fact that Narcan has played a significant role in addressing the arising concerns about the opioid overdose issue, the bible speaks against its usage. According to the doctrine of man, God created humans in his own image. The doctrine of man shows that after creation, God looked at the works of his hand and he was pleased. Through this, it is clear that making any adjustments to what God created constitutes sin as it suggests that one is challenging God’s authority. First Corinthians 6:19-20 provides an indication of the fact that one’s body is the holy spirit’s temple. The presented statement further suggests that God resides in man. With this, an individual is obliged to glorify God with the body. Administering medication means transforming the general outlook of the human system which means transforming what God created into something different. Through this, man constitutes sin which is punishable by God. As a result, administering naloxone should be discouraged at all cost to preserve the temple of God.

How the research affects the approach to justice administration

The administration of Narcan is an important consideration since it provides a new approach towards justice administration. It is clear that the administration of the drug has been highly effective in that it has significantly cut on the number of deaths among the opioid patients. The fact that the law enforcement considers it a policy and procedure that officers should always the drug in their possession or in the squad car has worked greatly by allowing the law enforcers to cut down on the number of opioid cases addition and deaths. In most cases of addiction or accidental exposure, the police are always the first people to arrive at the scene within a few minutes.

The presented factor has transformed the presented approach in that the members of the law enforcement are increasingly working hand in hand with the members of the public towards a common goal of curbing the presented epidemic of opioid addiction. The presented move suggests that the police are continually implementing and adopting collaborative community policing strategies which are known to have and increased successful outcome. Collaborative community policing strategies does not bear the intended outcome when the members of the community do not have the required trust in the police. According to Davis et al. (2015), community policing strategies which aids in building the trust of the community members in the police force are important towards establishing a peaceful community. The administration of Narcan to save the lives of the people exposed to an overdose of drugs is regarded as an important strategy of building trust among the community. Additionally, the move suggests that the members of the police force are continually undertaking the role of curbing the pandemic of opioid addiction and exposure in the long run.

Conclusion

To summarize, the rates of opioid addiction in the United States is increasingly recording an upward trend. The issue has become a pandemic in the region as a result of the alarming rates that the presented cases are being reported. Various stakeholders have undertaken the initiative of protecting the increased rates of addiction to the drug. The members of the law enforcement have also undertaken the mandate to curb the number of deaths arising from the accidental exposure of the drug in the US community. Clearly, it has become and policy and procedure that all law enforcement officers on duty should carry Narcan drug in person or have it in the squad care. The presented factor makes it easier for the law enforcers to reduce the chances of death arising after a person is exposed based on the notion that the police are always the first to show up at the presented accident scene. Administering the drug saves the life of the person in question by reversing the general effects of the opioid drug. Some of the pros associated to carrying Narcan includes curbing the instances of death resulting from the drug overdose, increasing the chances of self-administration among officers who also get exposed to opioid while on duty and the fact that it acts as another form of safety tool for the officers.

References

Behar, E., Rowe, C., Santos, G., Murphy, S., & Coffin, P. O. (2016). Primary Care Patient Experience with Naloxone Prescription. Annals of Family Medicine, 14(5), 431-436. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=24dc22c8-4dfc-40ae-9703-0079c7dcd12f%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=118203475&db=aph

Chihuri, S., & Guohua, L. (2017). Trends in Prescription Opioids Detected in Fatally Injured Drivers in 6 US States: 1995-2015. American Journal of Public Health, 107(9), 1487-1492. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=c4ffa5d1-f311-46f9-890f-d969905442fe%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=124558317&db=tfh

Davis, C. S., Carr, D., Southwell, J. K., & Beletsky, L. (2015). Engaging Law Enforcement in Overdose Reversal Initiatives: Authorization and Liability for Naloxone Administration. American Journal Of Public Health, 105(8), 1530-1537. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=121a14e8-e54f-48ab-ad23-5948c9694939%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=108279160&db=bth

Humphreys, K. (2016). The liability risks of naloxone access expansion should be the least of our worries. American Journal Of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 42(2), 115-116. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=121a14e8-e54f-48ab-ad23-5948c9694939%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=114015697&db=aph

Martins, S. S., Sampson, L., Cerdá, M., & Galea, S. (2015). Worldwide Prevalence and Trends in Unintentional Drug Overdose: A Systematic Review of the Literature. American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), e29-e49. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=c4ffa5d1-f311-46f9-890f-d969905442fe%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=111994062&db=tfh

O'Donnell, J. K., Gladden, R. M., & Seth, P. (2017). Trends in Deaths Involving Heroin and Synthetic Opioids Excluding Methadone, and Law Enforcement Drug Product Reports, by Census Region - United States, 2006-2015. MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 66(34), 897-903. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=121a14e8-e54f-48ab-ad23-5948c9694939%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=124988322&db=aph

Park, A., & Moakley, P. (2017). The Life of an Addict. Time, 190(21), 40-47. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=602af925-f497-46de-ae0f-e08c8a18f010%40sessionmgr120&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=126134870&db=aph

Sharma, M., & Sharma, M. (2017, April). Current Challenges in Educational Research for Opioid Abuse Prevention. Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education. pp. 3-6. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=c4ffa5d1-f311-46f9-890f-d969905442fe%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=123400325&db=tfh

Thompson, C. A. (2017). Pharmacists turn naloxone training programs into video for broad audience. American Journal Of Health-System Pharmacy, 74(6), 363-366. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=121a14e8-e54f-48ab-ad23-5948c9694939%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=121668908&db=aph

Wellman, S. (2016). 7 Important Bible Verses about Medicine. Christian Crier. Retrieved from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2016/09/29/7-important-bible-verses-about-medicine/