Factors Limiting the Spread of the Opioid Crisis to the Czech Republic

This bachelor thesis examines why the widespread opioid crisis, which has been devastating the United States since the second half of the 1990s, has not yet spread to the Czech Republic. The aim of the thesis is to identify and analyze the key factors that act as barriers to the emergence of an American-style epidemic in the Czech Republic. Methodologically, the thesis is based on a comparative qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources. By comparing the situation in the Czech Republic and the US, three main areas are systematically examined: the preferences of substance users, the availability of highly potent illegal opioids, and the policy of prescribing opioid analgesics. The results of the analysis confirm the hypotheses of the thesis. In the Czech Republic, there is indeed lower demand for opioids, significantly lower availability of illegal opioids, and a more restrictive approach to pain treatment with opioid analgesics. The thesis thus identifies a combination of protective factors that together create a barrier against the spread of the opioid crisis to the Czech Republic. The findings can serve as a basis for maintaining effective measures and preventing potential future risks.