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
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