In Nebraska as elsewhere in the United States, the increased use of and reliance on opioid medications and other prescription drugs has risen to levels that nobody may have been able to predict a couple of decades ago. While one may want to believe that these drugs really were originally designed to provide good care and relief to people facing serious pain or other medical problems, the reality may have proven to be something quite different.
These drugs are now known to be extremely addictive and connected to many criminal and mental health problems. Once addicted to these drugs, patients may be led down a very dark and dangerous path of life. For a while, the focus in the country seemed to be on what were targeted as druggies or criminals but that may not be shifting as a greater awareness is taking place among the public.
More and more, there appears to be support for the possibility that the companies who have produced, marketed and sold these drugs may actually be the biggest problem. To that end, more than 40 states including Nebraska are pushing for a serious investigation of practices of at least eight different pharmaceutical companies. This effort is designed to crack down on and start to make a positive difference in the opioid epidemic facing the state and the nation.
People who are accused of drug crimes involving prescription medications may find discussing their case with an attorney in Nebraska helpful in planning a proper defense.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star, "Nebraska, other states demand drug company documents in opioid investigation," September 20, 2017