Joani Gammill

This presentation is more factual about the current opiate crisis, based on my second book, PainKillers, Heroin, and the Road to Sanity. I give a brief history of where and when in the global history how opiate consumption started, to the present day issues. The issues range from scheduling of controlled drugs changing, why heroin is killing Americans and what I feel might be helpful in curbing the tide. It is not simple and I do not pretend to have all the answers, but I give the facts and suggestions on solutions. I talk about addiction to opiates and what I did, and what others have done, to achieve long term sobriety. I also touch on baby boomers with long term sobriety from opiates and now find themselves needing surgery. How do you then handle being put on opiates from the operating room to pain relief from their surgery. How do addicts achieve the surgical process without becoming addicted once more? I went through this personally. Again, a personal story with facts and current trends.