The Opioid Crisis - What's going to happen with the opioid problem? Is it more prevelant or are we more aware?

[Crunchy Leaf]

Every week there's another article about another person who had to be Narcan'd 17 times, or another mother getting arrested because her toddler accidentally overdosed, or another rural hospital with a NICU overflowing with babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. And the death toll goes up and up and up.

What do you think's going to happen? We don't have a massive crack epidemic anymore, which gives me hope that things can improve, but I think opioids are going to be a way bigger problem than crack ever was, for a lot longer.

 

[JSGOTI]

That's a really good question, and you're going to get a whole world of divisive responses depending on who you ask.

Due to my proximity of being around first responders(emt and police) on a regular basis, I get to hear the stories and horrors of what they have to deal with. From the same vagrant getting narcanned five times in the same afternoon, to people being revived and starting a brawl with first responders because they ruined their $15 high. Hell, I believe one of our own kiwis shared a story of a patient getting revived and then running into traffic and getting run over and killed after breaking free from the first responders.

A popular consensus from many of them is a one and done. Equip the first responders with tattoo guns or such and mark those that get revived. If they have the mark, call it a day and slab them.

Unfortunately, that's not something that will ever be acted upon, nor could they consciously ignore an overdosing victim, even if they wanted to.

It's a shit deal no matter how it's looked at, and with fentanyl/carfentanyl rearing its ugly head it's only going to get even worse.

 

[Caesare]

I think it's going to carry on pretty much the same way it has since the 1950's when it first really started getting attention. It's always been an issue, it just gets more media coverage now. The policy makers are going to go too far, use ridiculous measures to try and curb the issue which in turn makes it harder for people with legit pain to get what they need, basically what they've been doing on and off since the 80's. As the doctors are coerced into not writing narcotics prescriptions by overzealous lawmakers, the fiends simply move on to more illicit options.

Crack cocaine use is as widespread now as it ever was, but since that's a comparatively safe addiction we don't hear about it so much anymore. The crack "epidemic" was just another big media story when crack first came around. They like to have things like this happen, it justifies their job and gives them something to talk about.

Unfortunately, that's not something that will ever be acted upon, nor could they consciously ignore an overdosing victim, even if they wanted to.

It's a shit deal no matter how it's looked at, and with fentanyl/carfentanyl rearing its ugly head it's only going to get even worse.

And this is exacerbated by the heavy handed approach of lawmakers. You have pill takers graduating to dope once the pills dry up, so naturally you're going to have more overdoses. It's unpleasant, but I don't know if there is much they can do besides increasing access to treatment. There's options available for addicts, but they gotta want to get help.

 

[The Great Chandler]

No solutions over this epidemic? That sucks.

 

[Bassomatic]

I've seen this shit ruin far too many lives. Most of all of it I've seen people had serious issues and ended up on it, but many got hooked by no fault of their own. They followed to a letter what a doc told them, had good normal lives and the fucking demon that stuff is sucked them in.

I'm talking about I've seen it, car wreck, need meds to function.. take meds as doc says... next year pawning shit. That is not a fun path, not a oh let's be a degenerate and party etc.

What ever solves it, I'll be beyond greatful but we need to find meds that don't grab us so well I mean if you read how this shit works it's party central for your nervous system, how do we deal with pain and not give you something like this.

The other is find how to help people before they feel so discontent broken and worthless that a needle in their arm is more appealing than a family, career, or hobbies.

 

[BoingBoingBoi]

i think we'll see the status quo maintained indefinitely. the market is too big, and the demand is too voracious.

people are gonna get hurt no matter what and need painkillers. they're also gonna find doctors who will prescribe them copious amounts. they're gonna take those copious amounts to work and sell them to colleagues, getting others hooked. they'll build a tolerance until they start basing, and the cycle will continue.

it needs to be a grassroots effort. you cant rely on doctors not prescribing or on the medical industry coming up with an equally effective non-addictive miracle painkiller out of nowhere. the only thing to do is talk to the people in your live struggling with addiction and try and convince them to get help. raise awareness, shill for rehab programs, volunteer, etc. the solution will not come from on high. unfortunately though that means things will be basically the way they are for quite some time.

 

[Flowers For Sonichu]

This shit is a plague. I've buried too many friends because of it.

What can we do?

Legalize medicinal marijuana and grow crops with low THC/high CBD content so you can relieve pain without getting people high. You can make edibles out of it.

In order to obtain an oxy/vicodin/etc prescription, it has to be reviewed by an independent panel, or at least revoke the licenses of shady doctors who hand it out like candy.

Give amnesty to people who call medical help for their friends who overdosed. One of my friends dropped off the face of the earth, I heard that he ODed and the people he was with let him die and hid his body somewhere because they were afraid of jail. Everyone knows who is responsible but there's no concrete evidence to pin him down.

Shut down shady online pharmacies

 

[Thelostcup]

Maybe we should do something about all these people who need opiates to deal with how shitty their lives are.

 

[Philosophy Zombie]

Legalize medicinal marijuana and grow crops with low THC/high CBD content so you can relieve pain without getting people high. You can make edibles out of it.

Cannabis isn't effective for acute pain (ex. after surgery).

 

[Caesare]

Cannabis isn't effective for acute pain (ex. after surgery).

It's not even effective for people with long term, chronic pain.

 

[Crunchy Leaf]

I'm really tired of pro-weed people who act like legalizing weed will solve the whole opioid crisis, both the end where people fuck up their lives by shooting heroin in a back alley and the end where disabled people can't get more than a three day supply of Perocets. I'm for legalizing weed (I voted for it in my state), and I do think it'll help somewhat. But it won't fix this.

 

[Nyoom frame]

A lot of people get hooked because of prescription pain medication being prescribed liberally, both flooding the illegal and legal market and getting people hooked because of lack of oversight. I think some doctors or pharmaceutical people that contribute to this should be prosecuted somehow. I really don't know enough about that part of issue to offer a solution. Then again, it's not the doctor's fault that people continually take opioids to escape. The best way to stop the problem at its deepest cause, people taking opioids, is to somehow give these people some meaning, stability, and joy in their lives so they don't need to escape. I'm no expert and maybe some of what I wrote is mindlessly idealistic, but It's sorta what I think.

 

[ColtWalker1847]

I figure it will play out a lot like meth did. 20 years ago meth was a huge issue where I live. But lawmakers, courts, hospitals, and law enforcement worked out solutions and put them into practice. They put a lot of effort into shutting down methlabs and getting people into rehab. The shine wore off too. Tweaker became synonymous with crackhead.

That last bit is probably the strongest tool available. Unfortunately, since this all starts with dipshits abusing meds, is that they don't accept the "junkie" label until it's too late. That will change.

because of prescription pain medication being prescribed liberally, both flooding the illegal and legal market and getting people hooked because of lack of oversight.

It ain't their prescriptions most of the time. People selling off their unused or stolen opiate prescriptions to pill junkies isn't a new phenomena. It's been around a long time. What made it blow up was the emergence of international online pharmacies.

 

[Caesare]

I'm really tired of pro-weed people who act like legalizing weed will solve the whole opioid crisis, both the end where people fuck up their lives by shooting heroin in a back alley and the end where disabled people can't get more than a three day supply of Perocets. I'm for legalizing weed (I voted for it in my state), and I do think it'll help somewhat. But it won't fix this.

The only people who seriously suggest this are pot heads who have never experienced serious pain. I'm all for marijuana legalization too but it isn't going to help 99.9% of addicts or anyone with legit pain.

 

[Crunchy Leaf]

The only people who seriously suggest this are pot heads who have never experienced serious pain. I'm all for marijuana legalization too but it isn't going to help 99.9% of addicts or anyone with legit pain.

I never get the argument that it'll help addicts, because if you can get heroin, you can get weed. I cannot fathom there being a junky who would like to smoke weed but can't get any.

I hope that somehow a better alternative to opioids for chronic pain is developed, but I realize that's probably pretty unlikely.

 

[scared sheep]

So I was thinking on the way back from class: for centuries, humans have partook in drug use. Opium is nothing new. In ye olden days it was easy to get it as a medicine and abuse it.
https://www.bmj.com/content/1/1464/118
So... is this really new? Humans are living longer than ever, which seems silly if addictions are taking over. We have more medical knowledge. Is there really a prescription issue, or are we simply now understanding the prevalence of addiction? Hell, I remember my own mother telling me of my great-grandmother's struggle with old anxiolytics and stuff, and her addiction back in ye old days. This isn't new at all, the more I look into it. It's simply a new awareness. What do y'all think? Is it new? Is there something I'm missing?

 

[ES 148]

As more drugs are developed, more people get addicted to more.
People aren't getting worse, but they're being given more toys to hurt themselves with.

 

[JustStopDude]

Everyone wants quick fix.

I am amazed number of time people with chronic pain issues describe their problems and they do not realize they are describing withdraw symptoms and not actual issues due to their medical condition.

Most people with chronic pain would be helped by maintaining lower weight, flexibility, and low impact, regular exercise.

Good luck getting people to do this. It is easier to beg for pill. Then pill gets taken away so you buy pill from dealer. Then you realize heroin is cheaper so you chase needle.

It is really stupid to prescribe opiates for long term pain management. Its not effective at all...but good luck telling someone that has been abusing their meds for the last couple of years they need to get off the pills.

 

[CrunkLord420]

LEGALIZE HERION420

They should also be giving out suboxone like candy.

 

[Sanshain]

A lot of people get hooked because of prescription pain medication being prescribed liberally, both flooding the illegal and legal market and getting people hooked because of lack of oversight. I think some doctors or pharmaceutical people that contribute to this should be prosecuted somehow. I really don't know enough about that part of issue to offer a solution. Then again, it's not the doctor's fault that people continually take opioids to escape. The best way to stop the problem at its deepest cause, people taking opioids, is to somehow give these people some meaning, stability, and joy in their lives so they don't need to escape. I'm no expert and maybe some of what I wrote is mindlessly idealistic, but It's sorta what I think.

A relative of mine suffers from serious long-term joint pain, and they were prescribed Oxycodone. How much? Six tablets per day; two in the morning, two in the afternoon, two at night. Now, since my relative is a control freak and despises feeling out of control, they purposefully only took two a day. That was still enough for them to develop a dependency on. When they eventually decided to stop taking the tablets, they experienced severe short-term withdrawal symptoms. But in the end they decided it was simply better to endure the pain than continue taking the medication even at the vastly reduced dosages they were allowing themselves. Again, they were taking less than a third of their prescription.

On a personal level, I was prescribed Oxycodone for a knee injury. Honestly it didn't even work. It just made me high. I took it for about two days running, then stopped simply because I didn't like how sick it started making me if I didn't keep taking it.

I don't agree with a lot of the laws that have been put in place in America to try and limit the legal prescription of opiates. But in my area at least, they are definitely over-prescribed. I didn't even need an examination or anything of the sort to get my pills; I just went for an appointment, said 'hey my knee is really messed up' (it was; I'd torn the cartilage and still have aches to this day), and before I'd even shown any real evidence of the injury besides a limp, the doctor was already offering high-strength painkillers. In the end I threw them out. Good riddance.