According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the number of deaths by overdosing on opioid drugs (around 16,000) is over triple the amount of overdoses of cocaine (around 5,000) and close to double the amount of overdoes on heroin (9,000). The article “OxyContin Is Not for Kids” states that in Vermont, children as young as the age of 11 are now able to be prescribed with opioid painkillers such as oxycontin. The article goes on to explain the possible risks that are involved with giving children medications like these at such a young age. Peter Shumlin’s claim that kids should not be prescribed oxycontin and other opioid drugs is well backed by his word choice and the use of rhetorical appeals throughout the article. In one instance,…show more content… He goes a step further by calling the drugs “poison” and brings up the story of Raina Lowell, who is a woman who told the story of her addiction. Shumlin tells part of Lowell’s story saying how the opiate abuse basically ruined her life. Shumlin said that “Lowell became an addict hard and fast, losing her business and watching her life deteriorate before her eyes.” (paragraph 11) Most of the things that Shumlin brings up in the last few paragraphs could give the reader a more truly personal feeling and really gives the reader a real life example on how the addiction can be a truly harmful thing. This real life example that Shumlin brings up gives a sense that only one pill can send a person down the wrong path and ruin there life as it did with Lowell. After reading this part, the reader may have a mindset that the drugs are good for no person if this can be a result. Shumlin’s statements in these three paragraphs can also make one think back to how the kids are more likely to develop an addiction problem than adults and think about what could truly happen to the children if they happen to develop an addiction problem with these drugs. In the final paragraph, it’s easy to see his feelings towards this subject and how he wants everyone to fight against addiction. Shumlin states “In Vermont, we will continue fighting against these drug addictions. We have to.” (paragraph