• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Opioid Overdose Deaths Hit a Record High

US Conservative said:
I think you are correct on one level-there are plenty of folks looking for a pill, and plenty of providers eager to provide one because it might be easier.

On another level-I think some of the problem (like with anti depressants) may have to do with societal factors, like unrealistic expectations about life, and the inability to cope with reality. A lot of people have been brought up believing they are special just because, and form delusions based on what they see on television, movies, facebook, etc.

Its ugly-and I think its part of the problem.
Click to expand...

The point I was trying to make is whether it be pain meds such as oxycodone or anti depressant drugs, the number of scripts given out by doctors have soared in the last few years. If you can't cope with pain physically or mentally they are ready to push pills. There's a lot of delicate flowers out there evidently. Heck, look at how low they made the standards to collect disability. You can darn near be declared disabled with a hang nail.

It use to be prescribing opioids to patients was only for cancer patients in chronic pain until the late 1990s. That’s when the pharmaceutical industry successfully lobbied state legislatures to liberalize opioid use to include the treatment of common chronic conditions, such as low back pain, headaches and fibromylagia. As they liberalized the laws allowing physicians to prescribe the stuff for other things the death rates also increased to tragic numbers mainly due to overdosing by accident. And after the pharmaceutical industry successfully lobbied to have the laws changed they are making multi-billions of dollars on these drugs. There was a movement asking the pharmaceutical industry along with doctors to help rein in the use of these drugs but when you are making that kind of money on them, it didn't go anywhere.

From my experience this year it appears if you undergo surgery it has become common practice to send you home with a script of opioids as the norm. Not everyone needs it. But not everyone is honest either. And since there is so much of the stuff being prescribed I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of those scripts end up on the street for resale.
 
Fearandloathing said:
Ouch!

I am the opposite, if the maximum dose is ten, I will need 12. When I drank it was the same way, people around me were falling down I was just getting started.
Click to expand...

I always was a cheap drunk...now that I drink daily if we party I can have two large...then done, anything more and I feel wicked

we have a martini party coming up, hard liquor and I are not so good...over the course of the evening it will be 2 martinis with a lot of water in between...the great thing about martinis is that you can have water in your glass and no one knows what you are drinking

that's my survival technique :lol:
 
Drug Overdoses Killed More Americans Than Car Crashes or Guns

(CNSNews.com) - "Drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States, ahead of motor vehicle deaths and firearms (deaths)," the Drug Enforcement Agency announced on Wednesday.
In 2013, the most recent year for which data is available, 46,471 people in the United States died from drug overdoses, and more than half of those deaths were caused by prescription painkillers and heroin.
Click to expand...

So, overdoses on opioids are only a little more than half of the problem.

See how well the war on drugs is working?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom