Ohio Likely to Address Opioid Epidemic

Since the “Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” culture of the 1960s became prevalent, the United States has had difficulty controlling not only drug use, but also drug rehabilitation.

In recent years, the drugs of choice have become opioids, and they are affecting individuals. The state which has had the most difficulty with opioid use is Ohio, with 2,700 people overdosing because of opioid use in 2015. This was the highest number of opioid overdoses in the nation and was a 28% increase from 2014.

Current Ohio Governor John Kasich devised a plan during his State of the State Address back in April which he hopes will curb these numbers. Recently, a state commission known as Third Frontier Commission, a group who goal is to support Ohio’s technology and research economy, had agreed to invest $20 million dollars into science aimed at stopping and solving Ohio and the nation’s opioid crisis.

Before official action can be taken, an update on the current crisis will be given by the medical director for the Ohio Department of State, Dr. Mark Hurst,  the State Medicaid Director Barbara Stears, and Lt. Col. Michael Black who will be representing the Ohio State Highway Patrol. After their briefing, a deliberation will ensue and then action will hopefully be agreed on.

Although Kasich wants some of the money to be funneled into programs that have already been proven to work but have yet been brought to market, many other organizations believe that they have better techniques that simply lack the funding to implement. These organizations include Ohio State University and Cleveland Clinic.

Some of their groundbreaking ideas include monitoring patients, attaching a device to an addicts ear that will relieve the pain and block withdrawal effects, brain stimulation, and also a combination of physical and psychological therapy.

Once this program is approved, the groups must identify the challenge, then collect research proposals and balance public and private investments in the ventures.

If this proves to be a successful program in Ohio, the precedent in sets for the nation may be huge in terms of finally ending the opioid epidemic.

Featured Image via Flickr