There are so many seemingly unanswered questions in life. Why did Mark David Chapman shoot John Lennon? Why do people eat Applejacks if they don’t taste like apples? Why are people dying left and right from a chemically-laden plague that seems to have no end in sight?

There is an opioid epidemic at hand that this country has been debating how to deal with for years. Innocent lives are being lost prematurely on an hourly basis because of the onslaught of opioids flooding the streets of this nation. Legal pharmaceuticals are regularly produced by opioid distributors while illegal ones are done much of the same. Often times the legal drugs are the illegal ones and the technicals for how to deal with such is getting very tricky. As a whole, this nation is in a pickle that is way over brined.

Ohio particularly stands at the forefront of this opiate mess. Addicts and alcoholics are passing away at an extreme rate from an ever-growing pandemonium that government officials have done little about. It’s easy to point the finger and blame somebody else when unexpected tragedy hits. Unfortunately, most people don’t consider or recognize the urgency with this growing problem until it’s affected them or somebody close to them in their life. The chemicals and substances aren’t going anywhere, clearly. Eventually, everybody and their mother will be affected in some capacity or another. It’s people like John Kasich that are ready to make a difference. It’s people like the Ohioan governor that want to take preventative action before it’s too late. It’s people like this man that see the destruction and are ready to put a stop to the nation’s opioid distributors.

Stepping Up to the Plate

While Ohio governor John Kasich stands on the sidelines as a local politician, he understands the necessity for opioid prevention treatment. According to Gov. Kasich, “We’ve worked on the doctors, we have worked on the pharmacies, and now we have to get on the distributors”. He sees the apprehension of the United States government to implement specific laws that will, in turn, affect some of the financial restitution of this country.

Kasich has been on top of the epidemic for years now, attempting to steer his great midwestern state away from poppy seed controversy. While some lash out and criticize some of his methods, this is a man that seems to understand alcoholic thinking for what it is. Unfortunately, addiction is a catalyst for death and misery. The alcoholic thinking that lies in the brain of the chemically dependent is cunning, baffling, and powerful they say. Kasich’s plan has all opioid distributors essentially report to state and federal all suspicious opioid orders in play. A wise, preventative measure that will prove much easier said than done.

Up to Bat

If the opioids all disappeared off the streets tomorrow, the next substance in line would make itself dominant. There’s always escapism for those that are looking, unfortunately, the ones that are ruling the roost right now are lethal. In Ohio heroin is one of the leading narcotics on the street. It’s an illicit substance made illegal years and years ago, but with a voice that just seems to get louder in time. Along with heroin comes a large gang of lethal opioids ready to knock the socks off any addict willing to play. Some of these pharmaceutical crew members include:

Fentanyl
Carfentanil
Morphine
Oxycontin
Dilaudid

This opioid powerhouse is responsible for the overdoses we see on a day to day actuality. Ohio has to lead the country in opioid overdose and death for the last 3 years. That’s a first-place trophy that most anybody would be thrilled to give up. Sometimes it’s okay to settle for the Bronze in situations like this.

John Kasich would rather continue fighting than give up and settle for first place though. It is rather ironic, fighting to not be first if I do say so myself. Either way, calling out the opioid distributors while creating more preventative services seems to be as far as we’ve gotten. This is a great thing- but is it enough? Even with addiction treatment services sprouting up, many still never make it to receive the medical supervision and/or help that they require.

The Kasich Home Run

Kasich goes on to explain some of the new realities that will be pushed upon opioid distributors as they will soon be required by law to report orders that:

Have more than 5,000 dosages
Have disproportionate controlled and uncontrolled substances
Have purchasers that don’t have private insurance
Have infrequent and/or uncommon practices for delivery or payment options

Kasich conveyed his message to Ohioans all over stating that one of the major elements to solving the opioid crisis lies within eliminating the opioid distributors. His claims are correct. Kasich states that addiction statistics will not be beaten from the top down, but that each channel of the crisis should be systematically approached while being put to a stop. He recognizes his efforts to be that of leading a horse to water but being unable to force it to drink still. “If somebody wants to go down to the corner of Broad and High and buy some cocaine off the street and it’s laced with fentanyl, all I can do is say is don’t do it,” Kasich explained.

Making the state aware of its services while looking for a solution like preventing opioid distributors seems to be the only viable thing to do. The Ohio drug overdose deaths will not stop overnight- that much is for certain. It’s going to take direction and effort on all parts to stop the barrage of chemical fatalities. Governor John Kasich is ready to stop talking about it and put action into effect.

Fight Ohio, Fight

This epidemic has taken hold of the country in a bad way. It’s a shame and time for this once great nation to start taking action. Ohio and its people stand in the trenches, but it’s not the only state to suffer the effects of this crisis. If you or a loved one is struggling with chemical dependency and are ready for help, please call 1-800-481-8457. We are ready to give you any suggestions possible and set you or your loved one on a path that we can all be proud of.