Introduction
The use of fentanyl is connected with serious health outcomes, and cases of overdose of this medication are not rare. It is possible to articulate three alternative actions that the policymakers might take to address fentanyl abuse among Americans. First, criminalizing fentanyl possession might lead to a severe response of the legal system to opioid abuse. Second, the restrictions on the prescriptions of fentanyl can reduce the amount of the drug available to people, decreasing the number of potential overdoses. The third alternative action is starting a public information campaign that educates people about the risks connected with fentanyl overdose. All three options have their pros and cons, which makes them controversial. It is impossible to state that one approach can ultimately solve the problem of fentanyl abuse because it requires a complex decision that combines legal, informational, and medical work. Launching an informational campaign about the abuse of fentanyl is the least dangerous option that does not harm anyone, which makes it the optimal solution in this case.
Discussion
Legal Persecution
Criminal persecution for fentanyl possession and imprisonment is an example of the legal system’s radical reaction to drug abuse. This approach restricts the laws connected with the persecution of fentanyl possessors, and many individuals might be afraid to violate these regulations (Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC, 2022). The fear of severe punishment is one motivation that makes people obey the laws. In this case, it might reduce the number of people who buy fentanyl and decide to use it (Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC, 2022). Therefore, the potential number of deaths will decrease significantly, which is the positive tendency that allows the legislators to save thousands of lives.
At the same time, the restrictions of the laws and the persecution of people who buy and use fentanyl have adverse outcomes. Imprisonment often ruins the individual’s life, and those convicted of detention cannot integrate into society after their punishment is over (Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC, 2022). They have problems finding decent work due to their imprisonment. They also tend to develop psychological complications that do not allow them to improve their lives. It is one of the causes of recidivism, drug and alcohol abuse, and homelessness (Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC, 2022). The stigmatization of former prisoners is severe in American society, and those citizens accused of fentanyl possession will experience it all their lives (Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC, 2022). In all cases, the restriction of the legal persecution of fentanyl users might save the lives of some individuals, but even more, destinies will be destroyed.
Medical Restrictions
It is possible to implement restrictions connected with fentanyl prescriptions in hospitals. It will minimize the amount of medication available in the market, and it will become complicated for people to buy and overuse it. Those individuals who do not have a diagnosis that supposes the use of the prescribed opioids to alleviate their physical state will not have the opportunity to buy the drug legally (STOP Act provision takes effect Jan. 1, will limit opioid prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper, 2017). Applying this method of coping with fentanyl overuse and death prevention is a significant positive consequence.
The approach to restrictions in prescribing fentanyl might also have negative consequences. First, the therapists will hesitate to prescribe fentanyl even to those patients who need it, which might aggravate the problems these individuals experience. Second, the absence of fentanyl in the official drug stores will increase its supply using illegal channels (STOP Act provision takes effect Jan. 1, will limit opioid prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper, 2017). There is a chance that the quality of fentanyl will be worse, and the health impairment will be more significant compared to the current situation.
Informational Campaign
The last alternative method for fentanyl overdose is launching a public informational campaign. It aims at educating individuals about the harm associated with fentanyl misuse. There is an evident lack of knowledge among the population who misuse fentanyl and cause significant damage to their physical and mental health (DEA announces results of enforcement surge to reduce the fentanyl supply across the United States, 2022). There is an epidemic of deaths from the overdose of fentanyl in the United States, as mentioned earlier, and the government cannot cope with this problem. Practice shows that legal restrictions do not influence the situation with fentanyl overuse significantly. Thousands of Americans continue to misuse this drug, thinking that the adverse health outcomes will not happen to them (DEA announces results of enforcement surge to reduce the fentanyl supply across the United States, 2022). Therefore, popularizing data about the negative issues connected with fentanyl overuse might save at least some people. Schools, colleges, popular media content, and social media are the most effective places where this knowledge should be spread (Cicero et al., 2017). Young people are the ones who suffer from fentanyl overuse the most, which justifies the choice of methods to cope with the problem.
Even though it might be naive to think that people who substitute good drugs with fentanyl do not know about the adverse health outcomes of their actions, there is still a vital need to spread this knowledge. Even if a minimal percentage of the population will not use fentanyl for non-medical needs and will save their health and life, the positive result will be obvious. At the same time, this option does not have adverse consequences because it does not suppose the decreased availability of fentanyl for those who need it for medical purposes. It also does not suppose imprisonment and legal persecution of individuals with fentanyl, which means the criminal history will not aggravate their destinies. These issues make launching an informational campaign better than restricting drug prescription and criminalizing fentanyl.
It is possible to ameliorate the cons associated with launching the informational campaign. One of the actions is focusing on the group of potential fentanyl abusers who belong to the young population (Cicero et al., 2017). It might be more effective to build an informational campaign that uses the language adolescents, and young adults understand, attract the famous opinion leaders among these age groups, and use the content these individuals prefer to spread the ideas. For example, top bloggers on Instagram can address the problem of fentanyl overuse, its adverse consequences for health, and its high level of morbidity. They have a million followers, and their opinion on socially essential issues is critical for their audience. In addition, the mechanisms of spreading information in social media, including hashtags, make the topic popular and widely discussed. As a result, the information about the consequences of fentanyl use will reach those people who become its victims.
The options mentioned above significantly impact public health in general and health equity in particular. It is vital to remember that most people are unaware of the components of the medication they receive. Fentanyl, in its turn, is the component of the medications for ADHD that is among the most widespread diagnosis in the United States (Cicero et al., 2017). As a result, individuals do not have enough information about the drugs they take, which might cause significant harm to their health. Those patients with lower awareness about their medications have more chances of suffering from fentanyl misuse, making them vulnerable (Cicero et al., 2017). The legal persecution of people who use fentanyl and detention might not improve the situation with public health and health equity. The most unprotected social groups, including poor, young, and uneducated individuals, will become the victims of these restrictions. Therefore, popularizing knowledge using the informational campaign is the safest method of preventing fentanyl overuse.
Conclusion
The situation with fentanyl overuse in the United States is serious, and there is a critical need to change the population’s view on opioid use. The legal persecution of fentanyl users, medical restrictions for prescribing this medication, and informational campaigns to educate people about the adverse effects of fentanyl are three alternative approaches to address the problem. All approaches have advantages and disadvantages, making their practical implementation controversial. For instance, the legal persecution of fentanyl users leads to increasing imprisonments affecting people’s lives negatively. Detention often leads to the inability of the person to integrate into society after it is over. Medical restrictions deprive those patients who need fentanyl to treat their illnesses of the opportunity to receive the drug legally. In addition, the amount of illegal fentanyl will increase in this case significantly, causing more harm to public health. An informational campaign does not have negative consequences except its long-term changes and comparatively low effect. It increases public awareness of fentanyl use, which is essential in this question
References
Cicero, T. J., Ellis, M. S., & Kasper, Z. A. (2017). Increases in self-reported fentanyl use among a population entering drug treatment: The need for systematic surveillance of illicitly manufactured opioids. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 177, 101–103. Web.
Fentanyl possession is a felony in NC. (2022). Sandman, Finn & Fitzhugh – Raleigh Criminal Defense Attorneys. Web.
DEA announces results of enforcement surge to reduce the fentanyl supply across the United States. (2022). DEA. Web.
STOP Act provision takes effect Jan. 1, will limit opioid prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper. (2017). STOP Act provision takes effect Jan. 1, will limit opioid prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper. Web.
STOP Act provision takes effect Jan. 1, will limit opioid prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper. (2017). STOP Act Provision Takes Effect Jan. 1, Will Limit Opioid Prescriptions | NC Gov. Cooper. Web.