Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's solution for the opioid epidemic...

[tenderfoot]

If we want to end the opioid epidemic, we must work to address the root causes of abuse. That’s why @SenCoryGardner and I introduced legislation to limit opioid prescriptions for acute pain to 7 days. Because no one needs a month’s supply for a wisdom tooth extraction.

Link to tweet

Take that you chronic pain sufferers!!!!

[JenniferJuniper]

1. Right. The only people in serious pain

are those who just had some teeth pulled.

I can't even.

[HopeAgain]

2. Already done here in Florida

It will only push people to other drugs, including heroin. What we really need now (the prescription drug abuse horse is long out of the barn) is treatment for the addiction.

[Blue_true]

24. It should be done based upon the pain being relieved.

Chronic pain sufferers need longer scripts.

[HopeAgain]

39. That's why the law refers to "acute" pain.

The dirty secret though is that the professions and the licensing boards could have prevented much of the prescription drug problem had they wanted to.

[handmade34]

3. legalize marijuana

New studies show that legal cannabis access reduces opioid abuse

https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/376643-new-studies-show-that-legal-cannabis-access-reduces-opioid-abuse

[Blue_true]

26. Thanks for the Trump ad on every other paragraph.

Other than that, excellent article. Overall, I rate your post Would have been without the Trump ads

[handmade34]

32. your computer

I have no ads

try these... I see a pattern

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/04/02/598787768/opioid-use-lower-in-states-that-eased-marijuana-laws

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2018/04/02/legal-marijuana-states-have-lower-opioid-use-new-studies-show/#e3a5b025696f

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/02/health/medical-cannabis-law-opioid-prescription-study/index.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/r-legal-marijuana-tied-to-drop-in-opioid-prescriptions-2018-4

https://www.newsweek.com/opioid-marijuana-legal-states-hospital-overdose-addiction-575385

and, and, and....

[Blue_true]

36. Those were much, much better. May want to replace your original like with one of these.

The problem could have been my phone with the original link, none of the second links that you posted had the same problem. Take care.

[PatSeg]

35. I've been saying this for awhile

It could help withdrawals and could be used effectively for pain management without addiction or side effects.

[Squinch]

4. Seems like she is pretty specifically addressing acute pain. You can tell because of the way

she said, "opioid prescriptions for acute pain."

I'm no fan, but this has nothing to do with chronic pain sufferers.

And she is right. Opioids are over prescribed for acute and short term pain events.

[tenderfoot]

8. She fails to address the manufacturers or the doctors that over prescribe

due to kickbacks from the manufacturer.

[Squinch]

19. How does a plan to "limit opioid prescriptions for acute pain to 7 days" not prevent a

doctor from over prescribing for an acute event due to kickbacks from the manufacturer?

[tenderfoot]

22. Her solution is band aid for a gunshot wound

and how does she know what doctors prescribe and for how long?

I've had two operations the past decade and mine prescribed just enough Vicodin to kill most of the pain but leave some to remind myself not to aggravate the injury.

BTW, I got Cotylenol when I got my wisdom teeth pulled.

[Squinch]

23. Her plan addresses part of the problem.

[tenderfoot]

34. a very minor part no doubt

eom

[Squinch]

37. .

[phylny]

14. You know, she may be right.

I'm not for the government limiting how many days' pills you can have, but I have leftover hydrocodone in our safe. I had foot surgery 12/21/18 and took pain meds until about 12/26, then I was done.

I did the same after breast cancer surgery. I think I took pain pills for a week, then stopped. I'm really an addictive personality and although I don't have a drug or alcohol problem, I think I could if I don't watch myself. I have a food addiction for sure.

[Squinch]

15. My aunt is in a short term rehab for injuries from a fall. She is elderly but tough, and she

says over and over that she is not in any pain.

They have been giving her Vicodin every night to "help her sleep."

How about a Tylenol PM, if they have to give her anything?

[blueinredohio]

33. I had foot surgery the end of January

My doctor gave me enough pain pills for a week. I only took them the first day after that ibuprofen helped. But I do get the prescription filled because if I do something else like pull a muscle in my back(happens more than I would like).

[spooky3]

27. It was certainly true in my case. I had a minor procedure and was given

3 days' worth of opiods. Fortunately for me, the first one made me so sick I didn't want a second, and the pain didn't require anything more than Aleve.

[ZZenith]

5. Wrong forum, innit?

[tenderfoot]

6. General discussion

innit.

[ZZenith]

38. Ah, I see that it is.

Sorry for butting in.

[Autumn]

7. They should do their job and quit limiting relief to people in pain and go after drug dealers

like these people. People are dying because pharmaceutical companies have raised the price of insulin and they can't afford $900 for a 90-day supply. But yeah, lets make sure people in pain stay in pain.

There have been previous lawsuits against the company, including one multistate federal suit in 2007 settled for $600 million as part of a plea deal. The federal accusation was "misleading and defrauding physicians and consumers," referring to how addictive OxyContin is. The Sackler family was not specifically attached to those suits.

Healey filed the complaint, which names eight members of the Sackler family, alleging they knew OxyContin was causing overdoses and deaths but continued to promote the drug. Nine other people currently or formerly associated with the company are also named in the suit. CNN has reached out to the attorneys for all the defendants for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
"They directed deceptive sales and marketing practices deep within Purdue, sending hundreds of orders to executives and line employees. From the money that Purdue collected selling opioids, they paid themselves and their family billions of dollars," Healey said.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/28/health/purdue-pharma-sackler-family-opioid-crisis/index.html

[spanone]

9. legislating acute pain....

no

[hlthe2b]

10. Two half-baked panderers wanting to "milk" the opioid crisis with NO medical understanding

Last edited Tue Mar 19, 2019, 08:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Any DUer who thinks Gardner has any good intentions/good ideas/functioning neuron needs to rethink EVERYTHING.

Any politico--even a DEM who wants to promote this half baked idea WITH GARDNER... well, you fill in the blanks.

[tikka]

25. You took the words right out of my mouth nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. It's clear she doesn't understand drug abuse, addiction or pain management. What a shitty idea.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. Thank you, Dr. Gillibrand. Now go tend to your dying campaign.

[matt819]

16. Here's what's worst

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/64329-opioids-chronic-pain.html

They don’t relieve pain. You just don’t care about the pain.

The producers should all go to prison.

[dewsgirl]

17. Awful idea.

[Blecht]

18. Demonstrates that she has no idea what she is talking about

Monumentally stupid idea.

[msongs]

20. hanging with the republican senator from colorado. hmm nt

[ananda]

21. Never did like her!

Still don't!

[mr_lebowski]

28. Except 'Acute' is the OPPOSITE of 'Chronic' ...

No offense but your ending blurb doesn't make sense.

I do however think it pretty dumb to say 'letting people have a bit more pain med just in case, during an acute pain episode' is in any meaningful way 'addressing the root causes of abuse' as she asserts.

'Root causes of abuse' are things much more along the lines of 'mental health problems', or 'unaddressed childhood trauma' or 'emotional distress due to current traumatic events, like divorce or loss' ... as opposed to 'having a few extra pills left over after you don't need 'em anymore'.

[LongtimeAZDem]

29. Keep your laws off my body!

[Crunchy Frog]

30. More not to like.

I wonder if she understands that "acute pain" refers to pain lasting up to three months.

Ever since going through the experience of untreated kidney stone pain I've got absolutely no sympathy for this new drug war.

[hatrack]

31. Yeah, that'll fix it!!

[milestogo]

40. She is neither a physician nor a dentist nor an addiction specialist.

So maybe she should limit her opinions to her area of expertise.

[aikoaiko]

41. ok. Kirsten Gillibrand just disqualified herself from my POV

This is an idiotic approach to reducing opioid dependence.

[pecosbob]

42. How about we first try prosecuting the corporations that were drop-shipping them out their back door

to unlicensed distributors on the internet?