5 Actions That Can Save Lives From Opioid Overdose

Drug overdoses kill more Americans under the age of 50 than any other cause —nearly 100 from opioid overdose each day. Narconon shares five things you can do to ensure you and your loved ones don't become part of this statistic.

Nearly 100 Americans die of opioid overdose each day.

In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that we lost 47,055 lives to drug overdoses. Of those, 61 percent or 28,647 deaths were due to just one type of drug — opioids.

To keep yourself and your family safe, Narconon recommends you do these five things:

1. Ask your doctor to prescribe the minimum amount after tooth extractions or surgery. It is usually not necessary (or safe) to stay on painkillers for long periods of time. And get help immediately if you start to feel you have to have more opioids. By telling your doctor you want to limit your opioid consumption, you can not only save yourself from becoming addicted, you may also influence your doctor to review his or her prescription practices and save the lives of other patients.

2. Monitor your children’s use of painkillers after an injury — young athletes are particularly susceptible to opioid dependency. 

3. Lock up medications that are no longer being consumed. Don't leave them in open medicine cabinets where curious youngsters or other vulnerable members of your family can access them.

4. Pay attention to the drug or alcohol use of your teenagers and even younger children. A little alcohol or pot use at a young age is NOT “harmless” — it is often the first step on the road to drug abuse and addiction.

5. Get yourself educated on the effects of drugs and communicate these lessons to your children. Narconon has a wealth of information on drugs and makes this available online for anyone to become more knowledgeable on the subject. This includes information on:

You can help turn the tide within your own family, your circle of contacts and your community. If you need to help someone break free from the drugs that are ruining their life, contact us immediately. Our program has a 50-year history of helping the addicted learn how to live productive, sober lives. And our program is 100 percent drug-free.

For more information, visit Narconon.org.

Source: Narconon.org

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