EL PASO, TX, October 02, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Michael Gopin, a personal injury attorney whose practice is located in El Paso, Texas, has witnessed the devastating effects of drug addiction. Evidence points to a growing trend of prescription drug abuse, which is prevalent due to greater and easier access. Arrests and incarceration affect the lives of not only the abuser, but they also have an adverse effect on those around them. Gopin represents a variety of clients who have been impacted by drug addiction. Now, officials within the Drug Enforcement Agency have come forward to address what they call an "epidemic."

The Bristol Herald Courier article interviewed DEA Executive Assistant to the Office of Diversion Control Robert Hill. Hill feels that there exists a "belief right now in our society that a pill will cure everything. We have a sensational appetite for drugs and no matter what the problem is, a pill will solve it. That and many other factors are bringing about a perfect storm."

Data produced from the Center for Disease Control from July 2013 reported that residents of rural areas rank highest among those who are at risk. It stated that Medicaid patients are also at a great risk because they are "being prescribed painkillers at twice the rate of non-Medicaid patients." This issue is of particular interest to Michael, because the Appalachian and Southwest regions of the United States have the largest number of unintentional overdose deaths.

Michael Gopin believes that "these statistics are startling. Most people limit drug abuse to illegal substances like cocaine and heroin, but access to prescription drugs is much greater. I have witnessed the legal ramifications of drug abuse. People are not receiving the needed treatment through periods of incarceration, which is a disservice to these addicts who are struggling to overcome their disease. As an attorney, I have noted the high recidivism of abusers and the problems that arise from this revolving imprisonment."

DEA official Robert Hill contends that law enforcement currently takes the wrong approach. Hill contends that officers attempt to solve the problem by making rampant arrests until it disappears. The sell-and-trade and abuse of prescription medication cannot be solved through arrests, because this does not strike at the heart of the problem: addiction. He advocates an educational strategy to inform the public about the drastic death rates, as well as collaborating with drug manufacturers to find better solutions. Michael Gopin agrees, "I think the best approach is to inform the public. People are not going to seek solutions to problems of which they are unaware. Preventative measures and treatments are the right coupling to develop effective solutions."

ABOUT:Michael Gopin represents an array of clients as the founder and practicing attorney at the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin. His office, located in El Paso, Texas, has offered premium legal services from professionals that comprise more than twenty years of experience. They collaborate with clients to deliver exceptional services in the areas of personal injury law. The team's clients are mired in legal circumstances that often involve drugs, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and vehicular injuries.