KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
Hosts: Cary Quashen and Michael Dougherty
Topic: Opioid and Alcohol Addiction
Listen in on Families in Action on Mondays at 12PM with Cary Quashen to gain helpful advice on how to deal with troubled teenagers and adolescents.
Listen to all of Families in Action’s podcast’s here!
Families in Action: December 21, 2015
In the first segment Cary and Michael open with some frustration about the latest statistics that have come out regarding opioid-related deaths.
Taken from the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2014
“The abuse of and addiction to opioids such as heroin, morphine, and prescription pain relievers is a serious global problem that affects the health, social, and economic welfare of all societies. It is estimated that between 26.4 million and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide, with an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers in 2012 and an estimated 467,000 addicted to heroin. The consequences of this abuse have been devastating and are on the rise. For example, the number of unintentional overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers has soared in the United States, more than quadrupling since 1999. There is also growing evidence to suggest a relationship between increased non-medical use of opioid analgesics and heroin abuse in the United States.
People don’t appreciate just what prescription drug use can do to the brain, twisting someone until they’d do anything for the drugs, from stealing to much worse.
“Since 2000, we’ve lost half a million lives to opioid addiction … we’re asleep at the wheel here!” – Michael Dougherty
“People are dying here — we need to be role models for our children!” – Cary Quashen
Towards the end of the second segment Michael bring sup the topic of holiday drinking, and how that leads to fatal crashes on the road.
“We need to pay attention to everyone around us now,” Cary states in regards to driving at night during the holidays.
It doesn’t require much to be responsible. Have a designated driver. Especially with the excellent services that are available and affordable now such as Uber and Lyft.
