Journal of Student Research 2019

Journal of Student Research

A Case Study of California’s Syringe Exchange Programs on Illicit Opioid Use A Case Study of California’s Syringe Exchange Programs on Illicit Opioid Use

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Johanna Peterson 1 Senior, Applied Science

Advisor: Dr. Tina Lee

Abstract Operating on several levels—judicial, health, and economic—attempting to treat a large-scale epidemic like the opioid crisis seems impossible. The national Department of Health and Human Services has dedicated a webpage to the titled “opioid epidemic”; legitimizing the ongoing publicity (Affairs (ASPA), 2017). While both licit/legal opioids in the form of prescription medications and illicit/ illegal opioids in the form of heroin and fentanyl are to blame for the rise of opioid related deaths, an alternative form of pain management, marijuana, remains highly controversial. A case study of California—a state with large amounts of data and services related to marijuana and opioids—is used to provide potential policy solutions to the opioid epidemic. Using four criteria for policy evaluation: technical feasibility, economic feasibility, political viability, and legal and ethical grounds, several policy options are proposed and analyzed. A policy of implementing medical marijuana education and information into existing California Syringe Exchange Program facilities is selected for its technical and economic feasibility, pragmatic political viability, and legal and ethical intent that aligns with the parent sponsor of the National Syringe Exchange Program’s mission. Although this case study focuses on California, the findings can be applied across the country to different affected groups. Overall, the study aims to provide innovative options to address the opioid epidemic that may not seem viable or possible to politicians and current policy makers. Introduction According to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services opioid epidemic webpage, there were 916 deaths in 2017 from opioid overdoses, greater than the annual number deaths by car accidents (“Opioids,” 2015). Opioids addiction can take on many different forms; from legal/licit painkillers prescribed Johanna Peterson received support for this research through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Parts of this work were presented at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, April 11-13, 2019 at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA (Ed.). 1

Table of Contents

Table of Contents