We’ve been subscribers to TIME on and off for nearly 40 years. This latest issue of TIME explores the opioid crisis in America. It’s everywhere. Yes, the tragic events at the Parkland school in Florida dominated the news outlets for the past couple of weeks, but opioids have killed hundreds of people in that time span–more than guns. As TIME shows vividly in a series of black & white photos, drug addiction is growing out of control. It cuts across class and racial lines. It afflicts young and old.
My takeaway from this grim Special Issue of TIME is we need to do something now. Forget the military parades and hoopla. Concentrate on prevention and rehabilitation. And that increased effort should have started years ago. This country is in Deep Shit.
And yet Trump and the Republicans (for the most part) and happy to cut funds for programs that might help, though Sessions would like to lock everyone up, it seems.
I can’t understand how people who supposedly had a set of “values” their entire careers (even if I disagree with most of them) can just throw them out the window and follow Trump over the cliff, taking this country with them.
Deep sh!t indeed.
Jeff, if the Russians (or any of our other enemies) wanted to destroy our country, increasing mass shootings, drug overdoses, and dysfunctional Government actions would do the trick.
Big Pharma, big greed, poorly trained or uncaring doctors and pharmacists, weak-willed politicians, Trumpistas acting without thinking, a misplaced sense of morality, economic and racial discrimination, an education system that is failing us…Should I go on?
Whenever we think we’ve hit bottom, there’s a bottom below.
I agree with Jeff. Deep shit, indeed.
Jerry, you can see why young people are reading so much dystopian fiction.
Jerry, you missed the biggest problem: misuse.
If people who legitimately needed such drugs used them only as prescribed and only for the period of time specified, it would be fine. I had Oxycontin prescribed after my prostate surgery, took it as instructed. No addiction, no bad anything. Over prescribing may be a problem, but I’m afraid the pendulum will swing the other way so far that those who need pain medication (such as post-surgical, or cancer, etc.) will be told to take a Tylenol.
And still doctors prescribe them. They relieve pain, they are cheap so who’s going to complain. Pharma puts a lot of money in pockets too.
How about the families of people who have died from this march too. More people lost from opiods than mass killings. Is this our new means of population control?
Patti, I have some friends who used prescription opioids after surgery and got addicted. Rehab was no fun.
Jackie was very worried about that when she had her knee surgery, She only took the lowest dose of oxy (WordPress won’t let me use the whole word), and got off it in a couple of months. She was given morphine intravenously and it affected her breathing, so they switched to the oxy pills. She was totally paranoid about getting hooked on it. I don’t get how doctors (other than the ones being paid to push it) are still so cavalier about prescribing it, and I don’t get why, with all the publicity, people are so casual about taking it,.
Jeff, prescription opioids basically mimic heroin. Yes, they help with pain management after surgery. But, opioids are addictive and that needs to be factored in. After both knee replacement surgeries, I took Lortabs (aka, hydrocodone). But within a couple of weeks, I was “tapering off” while the other patients in the orthopedic rehab facility I was in were increasing the number of opioid pills they were taking. You could see the problem vividly at that point.
They do it so patients can deal with pain, Jeff. See my comment to Jerry, above.
I come to this from a different POV since I’ve known a LOT of people who suffer chronic pain, and now have to jump through hoops to get relief. That said, the remarks above are all pretty much on target. We are not going to arrest our way out of this.
Dan, Pain Management is a valid goal. I don’t think I could have survived two major surgeries without the pain medication I received. But, the flip side is these opioids carry risks that need to be addressed. TIME shows photos of plenty of law enforcement at scenes where they’d dealing with overdoses. They all look dazed and confused. And sad.
George, that was the thrust of the article, and it is valid, but they didn’t show any pictures of old folks on a limited income required to pay for a Dr visit once a week to get Rx renewed.
Dan, good point. America is not a good country to be old and poor in.
When I had oral surgery, I took oxy (low low dose) for 2 days, then stopped. I don’t like to take OTC pain pills for more than 1 day a week. I have aches and pains, but none that severe I need oxy for. I’m sorry for all the people who need the stuff. I feel like Jackie, afraid of getting hooked
big pharma is a lot like the nra in owning politicians.
Maggie, it’s all about the money.
The biggest problem: misuse.
If people who legitimately needed such drugs used them only as prescribed and only for the period of time specified, it would be fine. I had Oxycontin prescribed after my prostate surgery, took it as instructed. No addiction, no bad anything. Over prescribing may be a problem, but I’m afraid the pendulum will swing the other way so far that those who need pain medication (such as post-surgical, or cancer, etc.) will be told to take a Tylenol.
Rick, opioids are being demonized because of all the overdose deaths, but as you say the problem is misuse.
Yes, but unfortunately there are plenty of doctors who are prescribing overly powerful and very addictive drugs for relatively mild cases where a couple of Tylenols might suffice.
Imust admit that I was shocked when I first read about this – more than 30 000 deaths per year.
It’s not as bad (yet …) over here in Europe – here probably more people die from illegal opi***s.
But there is a danger – I still have one “oxy” tablet that the doctor gave me “just in case” the pain after my hernia operation would be too bad …
I’m saving it for who knows when.
Wolf, more people are dying of drug overdoses than in car accidents over here! And the trend is going up.
Check out A Open Letter to Congress and the President by Don Winslow.
Steve, powerful stuff! For those of you who haven’t read AN OPEN LETTER TO CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT, here’s the link: http://don-winslow.com/an-open-letter-to-congress-and-the-president/
By the way, I just heard a piece on Oregon Public Radio about Meth. In Oregon in 2017, there were one third more deaths from meth than from opioids. There were also a high number of fires including injuries and deaths from meth labs gone bad, plus innocent residents (mostly children) injured by the harmful chemicals in the air of the homes with meth labs. Plus there are zero treatments for meth addiction except counseling, as opposed to three choices for treating opioid addiction, one of them being methadone.
Rick, the meth crisis gets overlooked by the opioid crisis.
This started long before Trump took office and the crisis has more to do with LEGAL drugs than street shit!
Bob, you’re right about legal drugs becoming a growing problem.