Study: Opioid Use Now Higher In Israel Than In U.S.

According to a new study by the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Jerusalem, Israel surpassed the United States in 2020 in the use of painkilling narcotics, including fentanyl, a drug 50 times more potent than heroin. 

The authors of the study also propose immediate measures in their report to reduce the consumption of this type of drug, which can have destructive effects when taken in high doses.

The researchers believe that safer alternatives for managing pain, better access to medical treatment, mental health and social services, and reducing the stigma associated with drug use and abuse are needed to reduce this disturbing trend.

In an interview on i24NEWS, one of the authors of the research, Dr. Nadav Davidovitch, said, "All over the globe we have pharmaceutical companies that were concealing the facts about being addicted to several painkillers, and we see sometimes patients and physicians that maybe are not aware about how much these drugs are addictive, for example fentanyl is 50 times more addictive than heroin."

International studies have shown that opioid use is generally observed among youth who do not have serious medical conditions. The increase in consumption mainly affects those with lower socio-economic status. Young, healthy and disadvantaged Israelis are therefore among the main consumers of opioids.

Long-term abuse of opioids leads to high tolerance levels and thus to addiction similar to heroin. In the absence of appropriate responses from the health care system and a supportive social environment, this need can lead to abuse and illicit drug seeking, which increases the likelihood of overdose and death.

The researchers recommended that health authorities study other countries where opioid use is high, such as the United States and Canada, and adopt best practices that have been developed and successfully implemented. The authors also recommend a national opioid monitoring program as a necessary means to control and reduce opioid use.