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As students across the country start a new school year, schools and colleges have the opportunity to put young people on the path to success. Education is a driver of opportunity and can play an important role not only in allowing students to meet their potential but preventing young people from heading down the wrong path.
Misuse of prescription drugs, including prescription opioid pain medications such as oxycodone hydrocodone, and morphine used for pain, as well as the use of illicit drugs and alcohol by adolescents and young adults, is a problem that plagues urban, suburban, and rural communities alike. In recognition that too many Americans, including youth and young adults, have opioid use disorders and overdose on prescription opioids, President Obama has made addressing the opioid epidemic a top priority for the entire Administration. 1
Although opioids can play a role in the management of certain types of pain, they pose serious risks, including risk for misuse, addiction, and overdose. Fortunately, there are resources and strategies that can strengthen substance use prevention and treatment efforts in schools and colleges, as well as support recovery from substance use disorders in young people. Families, religious institutions, law enforcement, public health, and social service agencies all have a part to play in preventing or reducing drug use and addiction and supporting those who need help.
One way educational institutions can help is by intentionally creating campus cultures that engage students academically and socially and that foster norms that discourage the use of drugs.
Second, schools can help by training teachers, administrators, counselors, coaches, and nurses to look for signs that students are misusing drugs. Colleges can train residential directors and peer advisors as well as clinical personnel to notice these signs with the use of standardized screening tools. If school or college personnel suspect that students are misusing drugs, they should be aware of where students and their families can access counseling, substance use treatment, and recovery support services.
Third, schools can help prevent the misuse of opioid pain relievers and other drugs by educating students about the risks of substance use disorders and alternative ways to treat or control pain.
Fourth, schools can provide naloxone to school nurses and college health care facilities to ensure that overdoses can be reversed. In addition, campus law enforcement can take advantage of state laws that allow them to carry and administer naloxone to get help to those who need it.
This is relevant for all students and is especially important for student athletes who may be prescribed opioid pain relievers for a sports-related or other injury. 2 Providing information and training for athletic trainers and coaches to identify risk signs and know where students can go for help and treatment is critical. Resources like the National Directory of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment Centers [PDF, 11.5MB], operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can help.
Moreover, schools and colleges can help combat the opioid crisis and overdose epidemic by supporting primary drug prevention programs, offering counseling and mental health support to students in need, screening for substance use in student clinics and making referrals to treatment where necessary, and providing support services to students in recovery from substance use disorders.
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