Study: 100M opioids unused annually after oral surgery
Donna Domino, DrBicuspid.com
More than half of opioids prescribed following dental extractions—estimated at 100 million pain pills annually in the U.S.—are unused by patients after surgery, according to a recent study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The surplus is troubling given the ongoing opioid epidemic and evidence showing that people who abuse prescription opioids often use leftover pills prescribed for friends or family, University of Pennsylvania researchers said.
The pot vote
Dr. Jon LaPook, CBS 60 Minutes
Five states – Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada – are preparing to vote on whether to legalize recreational pot on Tuesday, November 8. Currently, 5 percent of Americans live in states where marijuana is legal for recreational use, but this could swell to almost 25 percent if the ballot measures pass. The state with the most experience is Colorado, where recreational pot use has been legal since 2014. CBS 60 Minutes visited Pueblo, Colorado, a town that knows firsthand the impact of the legal weed business. The bottom line: there is still a lot to learn.
Genetic test aims to identify people at risk for opioid addiction
CBS Los Angeles
An Irvine, California, biotech company is hoping to take on the nation’s opioid epidemic with a genetic test it says can identify patients who are predisposed to getting addicted to painkillers. The problem is clear: Nearly 2 million people were found to be addicted to pain medication and nearly 19,000 people died from taking pain medication in 2014, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine. One issue is that doctors often prescribe too much pain medication. Another problem is that patients who are predisposed to addiction often do not know until it’s too late. That’s where Proove Bioscience comes in.
Playing cards offer winning hand for recovery
Tom Valentino, Addiction Professional
Looking for ways to remain sober after spending 30 days in treatment for alcohol and drug addictions in 2010, entrepreneur Chris Rosburg discovered that two aces up his sleeve made the perfect pair. While in treatment, Rosburg received sober slogans from his caregivers, messages he describes as “quick and quirky.” Needing a way to keep himself occupied on Friday and Saturday nights, a time Rosburg felt he was most at risk for falling back in with the wrong crowd and relapsing, he developed a love for playing cards. Eventually, a light went on for Rosburg: By combining two resources that have helped keep him sober, he could create a new tool for others. Thus, he developed Sober Cards.
