{"id":2045,"date":"2025-08-25T22:50:57","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T22:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.doctorpodcasting.com\/?page_id=2045"},"modified":"2026-08-14T06:25:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T06:25:52","slug":"article-addressing-the-opioid-epidemic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/doctorpodcasting.com\/staging\/article-addressing-the-opioid-epidemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Article: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2045\" class=\"elementor elementor-2045\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c3d4ab e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7c3d4ab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b6734c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2b6734c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Addressing the Opioid Epidemic<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cbd12f9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cbd12f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2057 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/new.doctorpodcasting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pasted-image-512x341-1.jpg\" alt=\"Addressing the Opioid Epidemic\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\"  title=\"Article: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic\" srcset=\"https:\/\/doctorpodcasting.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pasted-image-512x341-1.jpg 512w, https:\/\/doctorpodcasting.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pasted-image-512x341-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/>The opioid epidemic in the U.S. continues to plague our communities and hospital systems. Why has it become such an insurmountable burden?<\/p><p>First, it\u2019s important to understand the neurological mechanisms behind the drug.<\/p><p><strong>Opioids Are Not Inherently \u201cBad\u201d<\/strong><\/p><p>Opiates are a naturally occurring class of drugs found in the opium or poppy plant. These drugs have been around for ages in helping with pain control. The properties of opiates are deeply linked to serotonin and dopamine, chemicals in the brain that provide attachment.<\/p><p>\u201cIt is very easy to become addicted to an opiate, in the same way when you meet your parent for the first time, or you fall in love,\u201d states Dr. Erica Locke, Emergency Medicine Physician at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMH). \u201cWhen we use an opiate and there&#8217;s no pain, serotonin and dopamine surge to incredible levels and provide euphoria. It&#8217;s part of why we can become so addicted to these very dangerous substances\u201d<\/p><p>However, opioids do play an important role in medicine when used appropriately. The epidemic arose out of misinformation relayed by pharmaceutical companies\u2014assuring medical communities that patients would not become addicted. Eventually, the widespread use and subsequent abuse of opioids, either as prescribed or in the form of synthetic street drugs, led to intervention by the Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p><p><strong>Fentanyl: A Newer Enemy<\/strong><\/p><p>One of the most dangerous battles medical professionals and law enforcement officials are facing now is the synthetic opiate fentanyl. This drug is about 100 times more potent than any known opiates of years\u2019 past. \u201cWith fentanyl in the street drugs, it seems our \u2018street chemists\u2019 don&#8217;t totally understand yet microgram versus milligram. So, when they&#8217;re creating these street drugs, you can have a very small amount of fentanyl that actually leads to devastating effects in our population. That&#8217;s part of why we&#8217;re seeing so much death associated with our street drugs,\u201d explains Dr. Locke.<\/p><p>Fentanyl use has actually changed the messaging that surrounds opioid use. For example, Dr. Locke urges everyone to never buy street drugs, even if they look like prescription drugs dispensed from a pharmacy.<\/p><p>\u201cThere are a lot of pills out there that look like prescription drugs. Someone might say, \u2018Oh, this is my mom\u2019s, or this is my dad&#8217;s\u2019 but they&#8217;re actually counterfeit street drugs made to look like prescription drugs.\u201d<\/p><p>Another strategy is to raise awareness about the overdose reversal drug Narcan. \u201cWhen they\u2019re old enough, I plan to tell my kids about Narcan, how to use it,\u201d adds Dr. Locke.<\/p><p><strong>Importance of Medication Assisted Treatment<\/strong><\/p><p>If someone is addicted to opioids, the first step towards abstention is wanting to get sober. The next step is to get into a medication assisted treatment program.<\/p><p>\u201cChemical changes are happening in the brain, alongside physical changes. Withdrawal is very uncomfortable. There&#8217;s diarrhea, sweating, vomiting. As a health care system and as providers and as a community, finding ways to help people is very important,\u201d shares Dr. Locke. \u201cMedication assisted treatment is key.\u201d<\/p><p>While methadone has been the traditional approach to medication assisted treatment, newer drugs have emerged that are more effective, safer, and longer lasting. This also helps mitigate the challenges of visiting a methadone clinic every day.<\/p><p><strong>Monterey County Prescribe Safe: Unifying Providers and Community Members<\/strong><\/p><p>A tremendous resource in Monterey County is Monterey County Prescribe Safe, which has been instrumental in unifying hospitals, clinics, and community members. It\u2019s a multidisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of affected individuals and providing tools to help reduce addiction and overdose-related deaths.<\/p><p>One recent \u201cwin\u201d was to keep a supply of Narcan in the emergency department that can be handed out whenever anyone needs it. \u201cAny of the nurses, docs, really any human who is in our system can come down to the ER and say, \u2018I have a loved one who needs Narcan\u2019 and no questions asked. So, that&#8217;s been a big win, partnering with the pharmacy in order to provide that,\u201d notes Dr. Locke.<\/p><p>Another advancement is the availability of in-house testing for fentanyl\u2014which was previously not possible.<\/p><p>Dr. Locke also gives great credit to the social work department. \u201cThey work tirelessly to speak with our patients and get them into treatment, because it&#8217;s more than just here\u2019s a prescription and \u2018good luck\u2019. There&#8217;s a whole network of therapy, peer support, and life support that people really need. Opiate use disorder can completely devastate a life when it comes to your finances, housing, food, and even access to your family.\u201d<\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-2068\" src=\"https:\/\/new.doctorpodcasting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/pasted-image-90x903-1.jpg\" alt=\"pasted image 90x903\" width=\"90\" height=\"90\"  title=\"Article: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic\" \/>**To listen to an in-depth conversation on this topic with Dr. Erica Locke, Emergency Medicine Physician\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;\">at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMH), please follow this link:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.svmh.com\/patients-visitors\/ask-the-experts-podcast\/?segnum=46995\">https:\/\/www.svmh.com\/patients-visitors\/ask-the-experts-podcast\/?segnum=46995<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Addressing the Opioid Epidemic The opioid epidemic in the U.S. continues to plague our communities and hospital systems. Why has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2045","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Article: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Article: Addressing the Opioid Epidemic -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Addressing the Opioid Epidemic The opioid epidemic in the U.S. continues to plague our communities and hospital systems. 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