Pubdate: Wed, 12 Nov 2014
Source: Boston Globe (MA)
Copyright: 2014 Globe Newspaper Company
Contact: http://services.bostonglobe.com/news/opeds/letter.aspx?id=6340
Website: http://bostonglobe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/52
Author: Joanne Peterson

PUSHING PAIN MEDICATION OPENS GATEWAY TO OPIATE ADDICTION

Governor-elect Charlie Baker's concern about the opiates prescribed 
for his son's injury is well placed ("Baker to target opiate 
addiction"). The root cause of the opiate epidemic, which is the 
leading cause of accidental deaths in Massachusetts, is legal 
prescription drugs.

I have heard firsthand from countless families whose loved ones 
became addicted to painkillers that were initially prescribed by 
doctors for short-term pain issues or from teenagers experimenting 
with unused prescription drugs unwittingly stored in the family 
medicine cabinet. Once one is addicted to these opiate-based 
painkillers, heroin is a cheaper alternative.

No one wakes up one day deciding to try heroin and become an addict. 
Overprescribing of pain medications has become the gateway path to 
heroin addiction, even under the care of a physician.

Today, thousands of families in Massachusetts are struggling to 
obtain the support and resources needed to save the lives of their 
children and to help them get the long-term treatment required to 
conquer this powerful addiction.

We applaud the recent efforts of Governor Patrick in combating this 
crisis and are heartened by the actions Baker has taken to protect 
his own family and to make this a key priority for his administration.

Joanne Peterson

Executive director

Learn to Cope

Taunton
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom