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A comment on Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are dying, hundreds revived. Parent comment

Re:Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are d... by snuxoll on Wednesday November 08, 2017 @05:51PM (#15657900)
It's incredibly easy to get hooked when taking prescription opiates even if you're fully aware of the situation. I had a wisdom tooth extracted last year, and by the time the pain was finally down to the level I could manage with OTC pain relievers I realized I had developed a mild physical addiction to the hydrocodone.

I had no desire to get high off the pain killers, hell, they didn't even do anything for me in that regard - but I could feel the need to take them. I can easily see how someone without the awareness, willpower and a number of other factors could give in and start down the path of self-destruction. It was a terrifying place for me to be in, and as someone who has responsibly taken prescription opiates for multiple other oral surgeries as well as a septoplasty it was one I never thought possible.

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Re:Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are d... by loverofcode on Wednesday November 08, 2017 @10:35PM (#15659633)
There is a difference between dependence and addiction. People who are in pain 24/7 rely on these medications and are being thrown into the streets because of the DEA, when if fact this is a direct result of the war on drugs. the fentanyl and carfentanil coming from china are responsible. before these two were being imported at such high rates opioid deaths were 4,000 per year vs 400,000 for alcohol. Which at first was being blamed on fentanyl being prescribed legally, but was incorrect data. Check the numbers yourself at wonder cdc. attached is the screenshot form cdc data. https://imgur.com/a/fFBTe
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Re:Nineteen people a week overdose in Richmond, dozens are d... by snuxoll on Wednesday November 08, 2017 @11:45PM (#15659926)
Don’t take my anecdote to mean I’m against prescription opiates, there’s no way in hell I would have been able to manage my pain after these procedures without them - in fact I think we’re steering the ship far too hard away from their use in a reactionary move to combat these deaths. But I don’t have any doubt many people have become physically dependent on these drugs and are now turning to the black market - it very well could have been me in another life.

The war on drugs really needs to come to an abrupt end, people who need opioids to manage their pain should have them, people who are hopelessly addicted should have access in a controlled and safe manner, and for crying out loud can we just legalize weed already?

[ Parent | on HN ]