每天,超过140人在美国死from an opioid overdose. This means that every three weeks, America suffers a death toll equal to that caused by September 11th. The U.S. remains in the midst of a serious opioid epidemic that continues to worsen every year, and that caused over 59,000 deaths in 2016 alone.
In an effort to curb opioid overdoses and deaths around the country, President Trump recently declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency. This declaration is backed by promises made by the Trump administration to increase access to opioid addiction treatments, accelerate the hiring process for opioid experts who can help with the crisis, and supply grants to those who have trouble finding work on behalf of opioid addiction.
虽然特朗普政府在宣布阿片类药危机后面可能有良好的意图，但许多美国人觉得更多应该遏制问题 - 例如宣布阿片类药物疫情是国家紧急情况而不是公共卫生紧急情况。
公共卫生紧急情况与紧急状态有什么区别，以及如何与阿片类药物流行病宣言？这是仔细看看阿片类疫情的当前状态，以及紧急状态如何潜在地拯救成千上万的美国人的生命，并改善美国社区的公共安全。
Current State of the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
毒品逾越节现在是50岁以下美国人死亡的主要原因 - 其中大部分是由海洛因和止痛药引起的。美国的药物过量死亡率从2015年到2016年上升了近20％，并在2017年底之前预计甚至更高。阿片类药物流行病甚至降低了平均值美国预期寿命只有78.8岁 - 自1993年以来最低的是，当艾滋病毒和艾滋病在全国范围内贡献成千上万的死亡时。
Though opioids have been used to treat pain for many decades, the drugs became more widely available during the 1990s when pharmaceutical companies began to aggressively marketing opioids to both physicians and consumers. After the mid-1990s, opioid use rose gradually from year to year, and is now at an all-time high, along with overdose deaths. In 2016, heroin use reached an alarming 20-year high, with heroin-related deaths having increased five-fold since 2000.
海洛因是这一点最令人上瘾的药物在整个世界,往往更容易获得, lower in cost, and higher in potency than most prescription painkillers. Since heroin is also an opioid, Americans who struggle with painkiller addiction often head to the streets to buy heroin when painkillers are no longer cost-effective or easy to obtain. Heroin can sometimes trigger an overdose after just one use — especially when the drug is mixed or cut with cheaper, stronger, synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil.
Declaring the opioid epidemic a public health emergency can certainly help many Americans overcome addiction. However, more help may be needed on a larger scale to drastically减少过量的死亡率across the entire U.S.
What’s a Public Health Emergency?
一种public health emergency, which is declared through the Public Health Services Act, addresses a disease or disorder that threatens the general public, and that can bring sickness to large populations quickly and unexpectedly. A public health emergency can happen at any time, and can either occur naturally or be man-made.
公共卫生紧急情况的例子include the spreading of new, unusual, or rare diseases such as Ebola or Zika, mass fatality accidents, and severe weather emergencies. Public health emergencies may also include environmental and social problems such as gas leaks, chemical spills, and opioid overdoses that occur on behalf of addiction.
Under a public health emergency, extra resources are released to resolve the health crisis, and certain health-related mandates are often waived to improve the emergency. For example, now that the opioid crisis has been declared a public health emergency, Medicare patients who struggle with opioid addiction may be allowed to seek addiction treatment from out-of-network providers at no extra cost.
什么是紧急状态？
一种nationalstate of emergency, which is declared through the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, is roughly defined as a situation beyond the ordinary that threatens the safety and lives of American citizens, and that cannot be resolved with current laws and existing resources. A national emergency allows the President to call on federal assistance from a number of departments that can collectively address serious and short-term national crises.
Many times, a state of emergency is declared to help the country recover from natural disasters, such as the damage caused by hurricanes. If a state of emergency were declared for the opioid epidemic, funds that would usually be allocated for natural disasters would be applied toward curbing overdose deaths.
美国有28个紧急情况态度 - 最古老的历史可以追溯到1974年，并根据吉米卡特的总统。在伊朗人质危机期间，当时宣布首次紧急情况，并阻止任何伊朗政府财产进入美国。
Many of the 28 active national emergencies involve the blocking and prohibition of transactions with terrorists and countries that pose potential threats to the U.S. At present, there are no active national emergencies directly related to diseases and health such as the opioid epidemic.
公共卫生紧急情况与紧急状态：有什么区别？
Public health emergencies expire after 90 days, while national emergencies expire after one year. Both types of emergencies can be immediately renewed by the President upon expiration. Many in favor of declaring a state of emergency say that a longer policy life is more effective at addressing a crisis that requires long-term plans and solutions.
公共卫生紧急情况与紧急状态之间的其他主要差异包括资金来源，以及每个紧急情况由各自部门处理的方式。例如，在公共卫生紧急情况下，联邦卫生官员可以放弃某些患者的安全和隐私法规，并修改与医疗补助，医疗保险和儿童健康保险计划有关的要求。甚至可以用来为治疗所述健康流行病创造临时医疗保健职位。
But declaring the opioid epidemic a national state of emergency could result in having the crisis resolved both financially and logistically by a number of federal departments with the common goal of fighting opioid addiction. For instance, a state of emergency could result in funds being allocated toward helping federal law enforcement tighten security at U.S. borders and reduce trafficking of heroin and illicit painkillers.
一种紧急情况如何战斗阿片类药物？
If the opioid epidemic were declared a state of national emergency, the federal government could apply a higher amount of resources and money toward helping states that suffer the highest opioid overdose death rates. Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia are just some states that could benefit from increased funding for addiction treatment, addiction education, and opioid overdose antidotes.
以下是紧急状态可以使美国阿片类药物危机有益。
Increased Access to Naloxone
Naloxone is an阿片类药物过量逆转药物that blocks the effects of opioids and reverses an overdose while it’s happening. A state of emergency would increase access to naloxone for first responders and family members of those who suffer from opioid addiction. This would involve making naloxone available without a prescription, and increasing supply nationwide.
Removing the Stigma from Addiction
Many states “punish” drug users by sending them to jail instead of offering opioid addiction treatment. A state of emergency could allow for all states toconnect non-violent drug offenderswith addiction treatment, and remove the stigma surrounding addiction. This would also help the country save billions on costs normally spent on incarceration.
More Funding for Addiction Treatment
Thousands of Americans who suffer from opioid addiction fail to seek treatment on behalf of financial problems. But a national emergency could result in more1manbext ，以及可授予资格患者的赠款。
Wider Support of Medication-Assisted Treatment
Opioid addiction is commonly treated using medications that allow patients to safely, comfortably, and gradually overcome opioid dependency without suffering dangerous and severe withdrawal symptoms. But some view medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, as a way to replace one addiction with another. Declaring a state of emergency could result in wider acceptance of MAT by requiring that physicians in federal healthcare settings use these medications to treat opioid addiction.
阿片类药物是公共卫生紧急情况：接下来会发生什么？
Many Americans and policymakers are in favor of declaring a state of emergency for the opioid epidemic, but some officials are saying that a public health emergency is sufficient enough to handle the crisis — especially given the U.S. was recently been affected by three major hurricanes that exhausted national emergency funds. Calling a state of emergency could put excess burden on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund, which is used primarily for those types of emergencies.
此外，许多人表示，在国家紧急情况下解决阿片类药物危机太复杂，而且公共卫生官员更好地装备了作为公共卫生紧急情况处理阿片类药物流行病。
以下是特朗普政府如何为公共卫生紧急情况提出以阿片类药物疫情解决：
- 在孤立的地区提供远程医疗。Patients who live in rural or isolated areas and who cannot physically visit doctors may be able to receive opioid addiction treatmentusing telemedicine。
- 加快医疗保健官员的招聘过程。卫生和人类服务部门加速招聘流程的计划，因此有更多的医疗工作者来解决阿片类药危机。
- 为具有阿片类药物成瘾的工人提供赠款。The Department of Labor may offer a higher number of grants to workers being directly affected by opioid addiction, and who struggle with finding employment on behalf of their addiction.
阿片类药物治疗
The number of Americans who suffer from opioid addiction has risen by 493 percent from 2010 to 2016. However, only a small percentage of these individuals are receiving treatment, while the rest remain at high risk for suffering an overdose. Fortunately, those who need helpfighting opioid addictionhave a number of options when it comes to treatment.
Opioid addiction is most commonly treated in an inpatient rehab setting. Since opioids are among the most highly addictive drugs in the world, intensive care is often required to ensure patients can safely withdraw from these substances with a lowered risk for serious side effects. With inpatient rehab, patients can live at the facility for the duration of treatment, and be monitored around the clock by medical staff who can intervene at any time to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
排毒，治疗和后护理是阿片类药物成瘾治疗的三种最重要的组分。排毒有助于患者克服对海洛因和止痛药的身体依赖性，同时以咨询和支持群体的形式治疗帮助患者克服心理和心理成瘾。一种ftercare programstake place following treatment, and help patients stay on track with sobriety and good overall health after having fought addiction.
那些害怕寻求成瘾治疗of suffering painful and severe withdrawal symptoms have the option to undergo MAT — a therapy involving the use of medications like methadone and buprenorphine that relieve symptoms. MAT can be used in an inpatient or outpatient setting so patients can perform normal daily tasks without suffering nausea, insomnia, and other opioid withdrawal symptoms. Patients who choose MAT can continue to attend counseling and aftercare while in therapy to learn the skills needed to stay sober for life.