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This September, The Becker Law Firm is proud to show our support for National Recovery Month.
Now in its 31st year, National Recovery Month is promoted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to celebrate those living in recovery, and spread awareness about treatment and services for people struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders.
Throughout the month, SAMHSA will be holding weekly webinars focusing on key issues in the fight against substance abuse disorders, including topics such as Medication-Assisted Treatment, supported employment services, creating communities of service, and the importance of increasing access to integrated, person-centered mental health, primary care, and substance abuse recovery treatment.
You can learn more about National Recovery Month at www.recoverymonth.gov.
America’s Opioid Crisis, Ohio’s Leading Cause of Injury Death
As a law firm that handles medical malpractice cases against physicians who have overprescribed addictive, dangerous medications to patients who later died from accidental overdose, The Becker Law Firm sees the devastating consequences of America’s opioid crisis first hand.
We also know that Ohio and other Midwest states have been hit especially hard. As data from the Ohio Department of Health shows:
- Unintentional drug overdose surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of injury death in Ohio in 2007. The trend continued through 2018.
- In 2018, over 3,700 people died of accidental drug overdoses in Ohio – a decrease of 1,090 compared to 2017, and the lowest number of deaths since 2015.
- Fentanyl was involved in roughly 73% of overdose deaths in 2018, often in combination with other drugs. In 2015, that percentage was just under 38%.
- In 2018, fentanyl was involved in nearly 80% of all heroin-related overdose deaths, 74% of all cocaine-related overdose deaths, and 67% of all psychostimulant / methamphetamine-related overdose deaths.
While statistics show an overall decrease in unintentional drug overdose deaths from 2017 to 2018, that same time period saw a significant increase in overdose deaths involving fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid used in the treatment of severe pain.
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and it has flooded illicit drug markets throughout the country. It is often combined with other drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, or pressed into counterfeit prescription pills.
The rise of overdose deaths involving fentanyl indicates one of the most troubling problems associated with substance abuse disorders – many Americans who’ve been prescribed opioid and opiate medications by unscrupulous doctors often become addicted and turn to the black market to obtain these powerful narcotics. Unfortunately, more illicit drugs sold in underground markets have been found to contain fentanyl, which significantly increases overdose risks.
The Becker Law Firm: Committed to Our Communities
The Becker Law Firm represents victims in complex medical malpractice and birth injury cases across Ohio and the country, and we are passionate about supporting initiatives that benefit the communities which so often place their trust in our team. In addition to our community work, our firm also supports needed change by handling high-stakes claims which seek accountability, including cases against physicians who over-prescribe and cases involving birth injuries caused by dangerous medications.
If you have questions about your rights and legal options involving opioid medications or other potential malpractice claims involving prescription drugs, please call or contact us online.