Preventing Prescriptions from Becoming Addictions
John Thomas Decker, age 30, was found dead by his parents earlier this year. John was a talented young athlete, lettering in three different sports in high school before going on to play lacrosse at Cornell.
But during his teenage years, Decker suffered a knee injury playing pickup basketball. A routine painkiller prescription developed into an addiction to opioids he was never able to shake. He spent his 20’s in and out of treatment programs before his parents found him unresponsive after returning from a trip.
“We thought that he was trying to control it, but he wasn’t able to,” his father said.
John’s story is a tragic one, but it’s all too common. It’s not unlike the story of Amber Masters. Amber’s addiction began after an injury playing high school soccer in Anaheim, California. She was prescribed an opioid painkiller by her doctor, but she ultimately began using heroin as a cheaper, more accessible substitute. Amber, now in recovery, introduced her brother Adam to heroin, leading to his eventual overdose and death.
A stunning Sports Illustrated story published last year shone the spotlight on one aspect of the opioid overdose crisis: young people, injured playing sports, get hooked on their medications. They descend into full-blown addiction and frequently switch to heroin as a substitute.
It’s why I’ve introduced the John Thomas Decker Act, legislation scheduled to be considered by the House of Representatives this week. The bill will help prevent a painkiller prescription for an injured student-athlete from leading to opioid addiction and death.
The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to study what information and resources are available to young athletes and their families regarding the dangers of opioid use and abuse, non-opioid treatment options and how to seek addiction treatment.
The department is required to publicly report its findings and work with stakeholder groups to get resources into the hands of those at risk.
Opioids are not aspirin, and their use comes with significant risks. Eighty percent of heroin users come to the drug after abuse of prescription opioid painkillers. And yet many young people don’t know or understand the risks: a 2015 study found that almost 60 percent of college-age youth surveyed though prescription pain medication was less risky than heroin. More than one in five college-age athletes have used pain pills without a prescription.
We can put an end to the crisis of opioid addiction, and helping educate young people at risk is an important step forward in that process.
