Scott F posted:I don't have a solution, and the impact on access to medication upsets me, but the epidemic isn't the least bit fabricated, Slouchy. Here's some information from The New Yorker today:
"Opioids now kill more than 50,000 Americans a year, 10,000 more than AIDS did at the peak of that epidemic - more, too, than gun homicides and motor-vehicle accidents. Opioid overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50."
Sorry this is way late but the epidemic insofar as patients is fabricated by politicians for votes. The CDC data is in plain sight for anyone to read for themselves. There are 50k more OD deaths today since 2011. Prior there were about 20k. So call it 70k. The new 50k dying are purchasing street drugs, usually heroin adulterated (laced) with Fentyl. It's terribly sad but it is not my fault or your fault. I take pain medication responsibly and don't need big brother creating a diarrhea epidemic in trade. This problem does not exist in other developed countries because addicts do not "have to" grind up 300 imodium pills to stave off heroin withdrawal sickness. Obamacare didn't fix their problems. They need available open-access treatment facilities. The gov in the USA when it cannot catch bad guys, it creates them and the stupid politicians dance around with glee. In this case you and I are the new bad guys, the patients.