According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), from 1999-2017, almost 400,000 people died from an overdose involving any opioid, including prescription and illicit opioids.
- 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.
- Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.
- In 2017 HHS declared a public health emergency and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis
The physicians and staff at Eugene & Oleander are here to help. If you believe you or a loved one is addicted to opioids, please contact us for an assessment.