Advantages of Limiting Opioid Prescriptions
The ability to lessen the chance of opiate addiction and overdose is one of the most significant advantages. The overuse of opioids has been identified as a major factor in drug overdose deaths in the US, and cutting back on opioid prescriptions can assist in addressing this issue. Healthcare professionals can identify patients who may be at risk of opioid misuse or addiction and offer them alternative pain management techniques by decreasing the amount of opioids administered to them (The opioid crisis, 2019).
Risks of Prolonged Opioid Use and Dependence
Limiting the number of opioids prescribed can also help patients avoid unintended opioid addiction brought on by prolonged use. Physical dependence on opioids, which can result from prolonged use of the drug, can make patients experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug. Healthcare practitioners can prevent this outcome and make sure that patients don’t unintentionally develop an opioid addiction by restricting the length of opioid prescriptions.
Challenges in Chronic Pain Management
Limiting the prescription of opioids does have some disadvantages, though. One of the key issues is that it could be challenging for people who suffer from chronic pain to get access to efficient pain management. Opioids are one of the best therapies for chronic pain, a serious public health issue, and a condition that opioids are most effective at treating. Due to this, restricting the use of opioid prescriptions may make patients experience agony and seek unapproved or illegal sources of opioids, which raises the possibility of an overdose and other adverse effects (The opioid crisis, 2019).
Another potential problem is that it can be challenging to adopt and enforce laws that restrict the number of opioids that can be prescribed. Healthcare professionals could not have access to alternative pain management choices, or they might be unwilling to change their prescribing habits. Furthermore, such laws may disproportionately harm weaker groups, such as the poor or those without access to healthcare.
References
The opioid crisis and the Black/African American population: An urgent issue. (2019). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Web.