No one can say there isn’t a problem with drug use in our country; this fact has always been true. From the copious consumption of alcohol in colonial days to the inclusion of cigarettes in WWI soldiers’ rations, our country has, throughout its history, used various substances for both good and ill. However, sometimes a particular drug becomes a focus in our national conversation as is currently happening with opioids, in both their illicit and prescription form. Determining when drug use of a particular kind merits a national response requires the acquisition of data and the analysis of risk.
Dr. Joseph Hulgus, a licensed psychologist and professor at Missouri State University has many years of experience in this field, both in studying the issues and in treating those suffering from negative consequences of addiction. He comes by STEM Spots to chat about how we get data, how we look at risk and how public perception can influence when a drug becomes a “problem”.