Could Venomous Sea Snails Help Opioid Epidemic?
30 Apr 2018
Opioids are powerful pain relievers, but their addictive nature also creates powerful trouble for those who misuse them. Worldwide, millions of people suffer from opioid dependency.
Each day more than 1,000 people are treated in emergency rooms across the United States for misusing prescription opioids. In the U.S, alone, roughly 46 people died each day from overdoses involving prescription opioids in 2016.
Researchers across the world are searching for solutions to the opioid epidemic. In looking for safer and more effective painkillers, some now are making use of an unusual source — venomous sea snails.