Rhetorical Analysis Of The Other Opioid Crisis

When looking at a scholarly journal or other form of report pertaining to controlled substances, the theme is usually pretty clear; “drugs are bad, people that do drugs are bad, and it’s only getting worse.” Moore challenges this theme by breaking the mold in his article, “The Other Opioid Crisis” by implementing several rhetorical devices to add a more human aspect to the not so black-and-white issue. “The Other Opioid Crisis” is an article that goes into the ethics and the arguments regarding those who are in need of opioids and their stories, alongside other ethical issues they may face. By providing stories of patients, Moore states his opinion which is backed strongly by the pains, both mentally and physically, that opioid prescribed patients face. In these stories he not only provides a detailed account of their struggles, he uses strong language to appeal to the pathos of the reader on a subject that may not be easy for many to sympathize with. Moore starts his

What’s different about their stories however is the personal opinions presented about the opioid crisis and how it has affected them. In both of their stories, their great pain is described in the same way that Deluca’s was, again with the conclusion that they were prescribed opioids after all else failed. Both women speak of being cut off “cold turkey,” chastised for their use of opioids, and how they were exiled from their community for using such a drug. They talk about societal pressure and how they’ve become suicidal due to the pain, inability to receive the care they need, and lack of understanding from family, friends, and even their own doctors. This paragraph appeals to the pathos of the reader due to the nature of this topic. Most readers may begin to feel bad because more likely than not, they hold the same beliefs that have hurt these women; “opioids are bad, people that use opioids are