SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: Prescription Opioids and Binge Drinking

According to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of the 4.2 million Americans who misused prescription opioids between 2012 and 2014 also engaged in binge drinking.

Binge drinking is the consumption of four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men, on an occasion. Prescription opioid misuse is the use of these drugs without a prescription, or use only for the feeling the drug causes.

The CDC’s analysis shows that people who binge drank were nearly twice as likely to misuse prescription opioids as non-drinkers, even after taking into account other factors that could affect the relationship between prescription opioid misuse and binge drinking, like age and sex. Combining alcohol and opioids can significantly increase the risk of overdoses and deaths.

For this report, CDC scientists analyzed data for 2012, 2013, and 2014 on self-reported binge drinking and prescription opioid misuse during the past 30 days from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Prescription opioid misuse among people who binge drank varied by age and social factors:

• While young people who binge drank had higher rates of prescription opioid misuse, 2 in 3 people who binge drank and misused prescription opioids were age 26 years and older.
• Prescription opioid misuse was more common among people who binge drank with lower education and income levels.
• Prescription opioid misuse increased with the frequency of binge drinking.

What can be done to reduce binge drinking and prescription opioid misuse?

Effective community prevention strategies for reducing binge drinking by limiting the number of places that sell alcohol in neighborhoods, legal liability for places that illegally serve underage or intoxicated patrons, and maintaining limits on the days and hours when alcohol can be sold. Effective strategies for reducing overdoses involving prescription opioids include following opioid prescribing guidelines, such as the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, as well as strategies to prevent and treat opioid use disorders.

The 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults who drink consume alcohol in moderation — up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. In addition, the guidelines indicate some people should not drink at all, including women who are pregnant or might be pregnant, people who are under age 21, and people who are using certain medications that can interact with alcohol, like prescription opioids.

For more information on excessive alcohol use: www.cdc.gov/alcohol. For more information on preventing opioid overdoses: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prevention/index.html.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency that conducts and supports health promotion, prevention and preparedness activities in the United States, with the goal of improving overall public health. To learn more about the CDC please visit www.cdc.gov.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides up-to-date information on tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, mental health and other health-related issues in the United States. Information from NSDUH is used to support prevention and treatment programs, monitor substance use trends, estimate the need for treatment and inform public health policy. For more information please visit https://nsduhweb.rti.org/respweb/homepage.cfm.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is joining in the fight against this epidemic by conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," in order to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org