News

Opiates, naturally occurring alkaloids, are found in opium poppy plants, and relieve pain symptoms. Drugs in this family include heroin, opium, morphine and codeine, reports opium.com.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine classifies opioids, which are at least partially synthetically produced, in two categories: illicit, which is where heroin falls; and licit, which are prescription pain relievers that include oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and fentanyl.

 These drugs are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain.

Story by Tamaria L. Kulemeka

The opioid and heroin epidemic is crippling communities across the nation, leaving health officials and providers, coroners, law enforcement and churches scrambling to respond to and combat this widespread crisis.

Bonnie Franckowiak, professor and coordinator of the Master of Science Nursing Program at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Md., says, “The use of opioids in this country is staggering. It’s huge, and it’s growing all the time; we don’t seem to have a handle on it at all,” she says. “In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is enough to give every American adult their own pill box.”

Story by V. Michelle Bernard

Minnie McNeil, longtime Allegheny East Conference (AEC) and Columbia Union Conference Adventist Community Services (ACS)/Disaster Response director, recently retired.

Editorial by Patricia Monteiro

We live in a world that seems to spin much faster than we want it to, with each day accelerating a little more. We feel overwhelmed, tired and often discouraged because we want to produce and accomplish more goals than we did the day before. Months and years go by, leaving us feeling defeated.