Pubdate: Mon, 09 Nov 2015 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2015 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Mark W. Parrino Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n611/a06.html WHITE ATTITUDES ON HEROIN ADDICTION To the Editor: While we anticipated the change in ethnic populations using prescription opioids and heroin based on 10 years of research with treatment facilities, we did not anticipate that 80 percent of new heroin users would report their abuse of prescription opioids as a gateway drug. Fortunately, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Department of Health and Human Services are aligned in responding to these extraordinary challenges. Regardless of race and where the untreated opioid-addicted person lives, he or she still needs access to effective and evidence-based treatment. There are three federally approved medications to treat opioid addiction: methadone, buprenorphine and combination Naltrexone products, highlighted by President Obama in his recent trip to West Virginia. While opioid addiction is challenging the lives of many people, their families and the community, it is not a hopeless struggle. Resources are available to help such people get treatment and be restored to productive and healthy lives, but more needs to be done. There needs to be a national public education campaign to explain how people are getting into trouble with prescription opioids and to stress that heroin doesn't represent a safe alternative when prescription opioids are no longer available. MARK W. PARRINO President, American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence New York - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom