I found your article about opiate abuse in teens. It is outrageous that doctors will give a 30 day prescription of an opiate for wisdom teeth removal to a teenager. In my day we got Tylenol for 3 days for wisdom teeth and that was more than enough. Here's something I think should be mandatory - random drug testing for all doctors and nurses, regardless of whether they are in private practice or hospitals. How many of them are addicted? I'm guessing more than a few. No wonder they are pushing pills on our population.
Opiate Addiction in the USA
That drug is an opiode, not an opiate. Opiodes do not get you high like opiates do. I'm deathly afraid of this trend to outlaw anything that someone abuses. I use loperamide (immodium), which is an opiode that the government is now talking about restricting--apparently some guy had heart palpitations after taking 150 tablets at one time. Duh.... Anyway, I have ibs with diarrhea and can't get out the door AT ALL if I don't take immodium daily. I'm on several prescription drugs for diarrhea as it is and still need it. Without the prescription drugs, I need 12 to 20 immodium per day. On the prescription drugs, I can take 1 -3 per day. Big difference. I have tried everything for my ibs. I have had it since I was in kindergarten and figure I'll have it til I die. If I cannot get immodium, then I'll be disabled and go on the dole. What kind of choice is that? Yes, I agree that drug abuse is a serious issue, but let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Opiate Addiction in the USA
Must-read article in today's Wall Street Journal about Opiate Abuse.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/opiod-use-soars-among-middle-aged-and-elderly-1492999801
Here's another article published a year ago on the same subject.
Opiate Addiction in the USA
Re teen opiate abuse. I think the problem lies in an ever growing number of the US population. What we are going through is the same thing the Chinese went through when their population was addicted to opium in the 1800s,
I have had multiple broken bones and surgeries in my lifetime. Yet all I take for pain in magnesium and turmeric supplement and an occasional advil when I need it. I don't need a prescription for opiates. What is wrong with doctors prescribing these horrific drugs to all of their patients?
I thought I was in the Twilight Zone when I saw an tv ad on CBS from a pharmaceutical plugging a prescribed drug for constipation from opiates. The ad showed a good looking construction contractor and made it all seem very normal that you take opiates for pain. Now I see this ad during the same show every week now. What the heck? How horrific that they freely show ads like this on a major TV network? Is no one questioning this? I would guess 25% of the US population is addicted to opiates.This is a huge problem.
