The local fight to end opioid addiction
As we continue to deal with the opioid crisis nationally, things are being done in Idaho and locally to fight it. Law enforcement is aggressively cracking down on the problem and other things that come with it and local doctors are also stepping in.
The state of Idaho and Bonneville County are stepping up to crack down on the opioid crisis.
“In recent months we’ve seen the federal government allocate more resources to combat this issue both with law enforcement and prosecutors. Here in Bonneville County, we continue to aggressively prosecute those cases,” says Daniel R. Clark, Bonneville County Prosecutor.
The opioid problem has caused other local problems.
“As the prices of opioid pills have gone up they’ve been unattainable which has caused a reintroduction of heroin back into the criminal justice system and those that use illicit substances. We’ve seen a significant rise in heroin use in the last several years,” says Clark.
The county says they’re taking a different approach in dealing with those facing addiction.
“It’s important to note that as we deal with this opioid epidemic, my office will continue to engage these folks in a therapeutic way. Our intention is a therapeutic intervention rather than incarceration as we handle them in the criminal justice system.”
Local doctors are also changing their approach.
“So we can minimize the amount of narcotic patients receive. We know the incident of addiction is increasing and we’re trying to address that in at least one way when we manage patients after surgery,” says Dr. Jason Dalling MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Mountain View Hospital.
There are alternatives that decrease the need for opioids. One way is an injection during surgery that’s used primarily for joint replacements.
“This injection is a mixture of several different medications including a local anesthetic as well as an anti-inflammatory among others and the purpose is to help control pain after surgery,” says Dr. Dalling.
They say it’s just one way to help tackle this epidemic.
“I don’t think we will get to a point where we’re completely independent as narcotics are a valuable tool when properly used but any opportunity that we can take to minimize the requirement of those overall I think will help our community as far as an overall addiction goes.”
Bonneville County has joined a nationwide lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. They say it’s important to be a part of the national conversation to address the issue.
