Disease Vs. Choice (Draft)

One of the many problems faced in today's society is whether or not to give Narcan when someone overdoses. I believe that Narcan should always be used for any and all overdoses; what if that was your family member about to die, would you use it? According to the EMS of Columbus, Ohio they have revived someone with Narcan six times and she has chosen to continue using within a few hours of waking up each time. This is what causes the controversy because “while some emphasize how naloxone saves lives and gives drug users another chance to get into treatment and escape the drugs, others say the antidote is being used as a crutch, allowing addicts to keep using drugs without consequences.”

The reason that we’re seeing this problem is because the addicts are not being sent to a rehab, they're just sent or jail or discharged from the hospital after being saved. Rehab after being saved with Narcan should be made a law because the rehab will help the addicts to realize that their addiction is a problem. Meanwhile, those who think Narcan is used as a crutch may change their mind because it’s wouldn't just save the addict and let them continue to use, however it's saving the addict so they have a chance to recover.

Many addicts want help and won't go get it because in the past they have been rejected because the facilities are full, or their insurance doesn’t cover the treatment, so they continue to chase the high end up getting a bad batch or using too much which causes the overdose. But for us to let them die is wrong, especially with the opportunity to save them. This is the same as someone having an allergic reaction or a sugar low, are you going to just let them die after the first time, or are you going to give them their EpiPen/insulin each time to stop them from dying?

Many just don’t understand how bad addiction really is and how big the problem is. From 1999 to 2015 the amount of drug overdoses skyrocketed from less than 17,000 to over 52,000. Drug addiction is a disease that follows one wrong choice, or one medical problem that the doctor solves with opiates. This is where the addiction starts because the addict will continue to use opiates no matter what they have to go through to get their fix.

Drugs cause you to have a physical dependence on them which makes them extremely compulsive to the point that they can't even say no. It is extremely rare to find an addict that can go through the withdrawals without the proper treatment because some withdrawal symptoms untreated can literally lead you to death; which causes them a controversy in their own head. They may recover and relapse multiple times but eventually they will realize this is a life-long addiction that requires a daily fight. Recovering addicts need a lot of support and constant treatment to go along with their willingness to manage the addiction.“If it’s too hard to watch it, imagine how hard it must be to live it.” Everyone deserves a second chance; Narcan should be used every single time because addicts are humans too!