Deaths tied to painkillers rising in the U.S.

[Charles Kozierok]

While everyone argues about whether or not to ban guns, it's actually drugs that are increasingly responsible for preventable deaths in the United States. And the core of the problem is prescription painkillers:

Drugs overtook traffic accidents as a cause of death in the country in 2009, and the gap has continued to widen.


Overdose deaths involving prescription painkillers rose to 16,651 in 2010, the CDC researchers found. That was 43% of all fatal overdoses.

This chart somewhat surprised me:

If there's a growing epidemic of needless death in America, it's not being caused by guns.

 

[Murloc]

funny how there's a war on drugs going on but it's against the wrong kind of drug.

This is something that really needs intervention, but probably no one does anything because they'd just lose votes from the addicts.

 

[waggy]

meh.

from reading the article is seems education is lacking and its not abuse.

More than 74% of all prescription drug deaths were accidental, statistics show. Only 17% of overdoses were suicides. The numbers show how drugs in the opioid family, like Oxycontin, methadone and codeine, were often implicated in fatal drug cocktails


So more then 74% of deaths were Accidents.



Now you need to ask what was the situation those people were takeing pain meds? Are the really just abusers or people who live in a state of chronic pain and trying to get some relief from it? did they finally take to much? did they try to mix it to get the relief?

I would suggest the numbers are wrong. until they separate the abusers from those with chronic pain you really can't say how bad the situation is.

 

[shadow9d9]

I guess it depends on how you define accidental... I often find that people on heavy medications have no problem drinking alcohol, etc... they know the risks but just shrug it off.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Yeah, "accidental" doesn't preclude abuse. Think about all the famous people who have died from overdoses... it's not like they were trying to.

 

[waggy]

Yeah, "accidental" doesn't preclude abuse. Think about all the famous people who have died from overdoses... it's not like they were trying to.

And neither does those that have medical issues that need it constitute abuse yet many are lumped into the category.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Obviously it depends on how we define "abuse". But when a drug is prescribed, the doctor is not going to dose it so high as to kill the patient. It's possible for someone who has medical issues to still abuse these drugs (see: Limbaugh, Rush). So it seems likely that people who overdose and die despite having a legitimate need for painkillers are still abusing them.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

New York once again leads the nation by making it increasingly difficult for people in pain to get pain meds. Bloomberg responded by replying in essence people will have to suck it up. Remember- be careful what you ask for.

 

[waggy]

Obviously it depends on how we define "abuse". But when a drug is prescribed, the doctor is not going to dose it so high as to kill the patient. It's possible for someone who has medical issues to still abuse these drugs (see: Limbaugh, Rush). So it seems likely that people who overdose and die despite having a legitimate need for painkillers are still abusing them.

i disagree. Many who live with chronic pain and take the pills and die aren't doing it for the high. many do it so they can function.

I do wish they could get those that pill shop and use it to get high. trouble is what you may consider abuse is one person needs to function. Aslo how do you do it?

as it is those that need these medications are having a harder and harder time getting them. Thought addicts are still getting them with ease.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

i disagree. Many who live with chronic pain and take the pills and die aren't doing it for the high. many do it so they can function.

I do wish they could get those that pill shop and use it to get high. trouble is what you may consider abuse is one person needs to function. Aslo how do you do it?

as it is those that need these medications are having a harder and harder time getting them. Thought addicts are still getting them with ease.

Just to get a prescription for Tramadol I have to be re-evaluated every 6 months and the Doctor will only prescribe a 30 day supply with 5 refills. I can't get my refill earlier than 25 days since the last was dispensed per my insurance company's policy.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

i disagree. Many who live with chronic pain and take the pills and die aren't doing it for the high. many do it so they can function.

I do wish they could get those that pill shop and use it to get high. trouble is what you may consider abuse is one person needs to function. Aslo how do you do it?

as it is those that need these medications are having a harder and harder time getting them. Thought addicts are still getting them with ease.

There's a solution but a haven't time now so I'll write it in the margins (points for knowing where that came from). I I'll post it tonight when I don't have to use a phone.

 

[Dirigible]

I await the Hayabusa solution.

In meantime, I care that people who need pain meds have a hard time getting them.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Looking forward to it, Pierre.

 

[WelshBloke]

Americans do love their painkillers.

Seriously though, 80% of the global supply of opiate painkillers?

And you say that they are hard to get?

 

[Murloc]

guys it's obvious that the dose that constitutes abuse is different for each person, that's why the doctor prescribes them.

 

[waggy]

Just to get a prescription for Tramadol I have to be re-evaluated every 6 months and the Doctor will only prescribe a 30 day supply with 5 refills. I can't get my refill earlier than 25 days since the last was dispensed per my insurance company's policy.

yeap.

those that need opiates are having a VERY hard time getting them. from insanely limited quantities or flat out refusal.

the DEA is pretty much trying to stop people from using Opiates. the DEA is ordering some pharmisies to STOP placing orders.

http://www.painmedicinenews.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Policy%2B%26%2BManagement&d_id=83&i=March+2013&i_id=935&a_id=22628&tab=MostRead

The DEA served the Immediate Suspension Order on the Walgreens distribution center in September 2012 because, according to a news release from the agency, “this distribution center failed to maintain effective controls against the diversion of controlled substances into other than legitimate medical, scientific and industrial channels. ... Furthermore ... Walgreens Jupiter failed to conduct due diligence to ensure that the controlled substances were not diverted into other than legitimate channels.”

also the DEA is trying (it has passed but nto put into effect) to limit the amount a person can get and how much a doctor can give overall. They tried to reduce the amount of opium in each pill and the amount you can take. The amount would have been so low that it would be ineffective.

Right now its getting harder and harder for those that NEED these pills to semi normal life. yet people want the pills baned.

so the question is again what about those that need it? Is that persons quality of life worth attempting to stop a drug addict (wich will fail)? at what point is that persons life worth the sacrafice because some idiots abuse the substance? is 1-2 pills ok? 3-4? what.

 

[waggy]

Americans do love their painkillers.

Seriously though, 80% of the global supply of opiate painkillers?

And you say that they are hard to get?

legally they are. i can go and get a bottle of whatever fairly easy but i would get arrrested if caught with them..

its those that need them that are having a hard time getting them. Those that abuse and want snort them can find them anywhere.

 

[Dirigible]

I'm in agreement with waggy's last two posts.

 

[Mixolydian]

I don't think there is a way to win a "War on Drugs" of any kind. In the case of painkillers, people fake illnesses to get pills all the time. It would be extremely time-consuming and costly for doctors and healthcare providers to determine who is "faking it" and who is not.

 

[WelshBloke]

Just to get a prescription for Tramadol I have to be re-evaluated every 6 months and the Doctor will only prescribe a 30 day supply with 5 refills. I can't get my refill earlier than 25 days since the last was dispensed per my insurance company's policy.

Seeing your doctor every 6 months if you have chronic pain doesn't sound that onerous to be honest.

 

[Dendra]

its those that need them that are having a hard time getting them.

The degree of need is generally self-determined. But is the 'need' physical pain, or the drive of addiction? Sometimes difficult to tell. And of course even addicts can be have chronic physical pain.

If there are over 40,000 deaths every year because of drugs (over 17,000 from prescription drugs) something is wrong.

 

[Fern]

Drugs overtook traffic accidents as a cause of death in the country in 2009, and the gap has continued to widen.

Well, that honestly surprises me.

I knew deaths from traffic accidents were high, I'm really surprised more die from drugs.

And I also believe overdoses are listed as accidents. That needs to be separated out to how many accidents from prescribed patients and how many from recreational abuse.

Fern

 

[waggy]

Seeing your doctor every 6 months if you have chronic pain doesn't sound that onerous to be honest.

I go about every 6 months. though it really does not matter since he refuses to give out anything.

The DEA is trying to make (and has in some places) that you need to see a doctor or pain doc for every refill and then they can only prescribe 30 or 90 days with a max of 180 pills at a time.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Obviously I think people who need them should be able to get them.

This, like other attempts to control drugs, will fail, and just make life difficult for those in pain.

 

[Dendra]

This, like other attempts to control drugs, will fail, and just make life difficult for those in pain.

Do you think there should be prescriptions for any drug, or should people be allowed to purchase and take whatever they want without limits?