We have a lot of problems in this country to be sure, but this particular problem is one of the biggest ones out there that is not talked about enough. As you notice, Salena writes from Pittsburgh. Southwest PA has so many overdoses now, everyone knows someone or is linked somehow to someone od’ing.
In part, I blame doctors. As a kid growing up, if you broke your arm, etc... you got motrin, not anymore. We are over prescribing now and people need to reject getting these heavy drugs. At some point, you may have to live with some pain, that’s far more preferable than getting addicted to opiods. Drugs like Oxy and Hyrdo were originally created to treat cancer patients at the end of their life to give them a little pain relief. The key is, they were dying so getting addicted was the least of their worries. Now, it’s prescribed for so much more.
That isn’t it.
It’s the 24 hour news cycle that has turned this world on its head.
I’ve been given many of those drugs and some actually healed my condition. I take nothing today but the government has no right to say I cannot have it when I am in pain.
I have a half-million bucks on my head, would they rather I cash out?
(Some of you FReepers need not answer that last one)
Balderdash. That's a decision entirely between a doctor and his patient, and one that the government has NO business interfering with. There are obviously trade-offs involved.
People who are on pain management aren't the ones OD'ing, in general. OD's occur to extremely irresponsible abuse by people in the black market.
I personally know of several OD deaths here in South Florida, and they have ALL been due to street drugs like heroin laced with fentanyl, etc.
Very rarely do people "accidentally" overdose on pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceuticals are known quantities, and it takes effort to overdose on such drugs.
Even in the world of opioids and pain management, the vast majority of patients are responsible. One reason the numbers seem higher is probably because they are seriously underestimating how many people are using the stuff.
But in any event, the government shouldn't be involved in anybody's health care. That is a sacrosanct relationship between doctor and patient.
People who overdose either are either uninformed about the medicine they're taking, or they're OD'ing on street drugs, or they're doing it on purpose.