Opioid awareness, Part 2: Stomping the stigma and a mom’s view, with Cammie Wolf Rice

ByHansa Bhargava, MD

In this episode, guest Cammie Wolf Rice discusses the opioid crisis, how it impacted her life and family and her foundation’s mission to combating the epidemic and spreading awareness.

Intro 0:24
Cammie Wolf Rice 0:28
The numbers in opioid-related deaths are staggering: 81,000 deaths in 2023. And there are 5.6 million people over the age of 12 who suffer from opioid use disorder. What are we doing wrong? Tell us about your work and what you believe is happening in this space. 0:51
Is there an increase of children being poisoned with the synthetic fentanyl? Are there more fake pills in circulation? 2:21
Eighty million fake pills were seized last year by the DEA. Is there enough awareness among parents surrounding the fake pills in circulation? And is there enough awareness among schools surrounding the importance of having Narcan? 3:27
Can you share the story of your son’s death? 4:45
Tell us about the work you are doing in rural hospitals. 7:45
What are some of the issues among rural hospitals in terms of lack of resources? 8:59
Rural areas struggle with health care inequities and need help. How many rural communities have received your foundation’s support? And where can doctors find the resources they need? 10:10
Visit cwc.ngo to find resources related to opioid awareness. 11:05
Rice discusses the differences among specialties in which physicians prescribe varying amounts of opioids. 13:08
Bhargava and Rice discuss a primary issue in opioid awareness: the access to the pills in the home. 18:50
For our audience, is there anything else they can do to help with the opioid crisis? 21:11
How can listeners contact you? And where can they find the resources available? 22:52
Thanks 24:03

Cammie Wolf Rice is the chief executive officer and founder of the Christopher Wolf Crusade Alliance (CWC). After the tragic loss of her son, Christopher, she founded the CWC Alliance in her son’s honor in 2018 and launched a new position in health care: the Life Care Specialist. Learn more about Rice and her journey in her memoir: The Flight: My Opioid Journey.

We’d love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to Dr. Bhargava at podcasts@healio.com. Follow Dr. Bhargava on X @hansabhargavaMD and on Instagram @doctorhansaMD. Follow Rice on Instagram @cwcalliance, LinkedIn, Facebook, email cammie@cwc.ngo and visit cwc.ngo.

Sources/Disclosures

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Disclosures: Bhargava reports no relevant financial disclosures. Rice is the CEO and founder of the CWC Alliance.

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Opioid awareness, Part 2: Stomping the stigma and a mom’s view, with Cammie Wolf Rice

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