This was mind-numbing (pun intended) news when I read it. The good old USofA my country tis of thee is consuming extraordinary amounts of pain medication up 90%. Hundreds of thousands of pounds (about 300mgs for every single American) worth of some very potent narcotics has been proscribed over the past ten years.
There are many explanations for this if you listen to the experts. Some of it has to do with the aging of the populace. Some of it was because of a fundamental change within the medical community with regards to pain management, make the patient comfortable rather than worry about them developing an addiction. Then there is also the conspiratorially minded “Big Pharma” markets this stuff and there’s too much money to be made to worry about a few minor issues. There are many complex issues regarding this trend, not the least of which are legally proscribed narcotics making it to the illegal market. This is commonly used as an income supplement and is it any wonder when 80mg of Oxycontin can fetch up to $60 USD on the street? Doctors face quandaries. Proscribe but put them at risk for prosecution? It’s sad really.
Whatever the facts or the case may be may not be to me it’s more of a mystery as to why this revelation was a shock at all to me. I’ve witnessed the issue first hand. I know personally of people, at least six of them that are in all phases and facets concerning narcotics, treatment, addiction, incarceration and recovery. Every single one of them are regular normal people, with jobs, spouses, and children are facing, suffering, struggling and maybe most important hoping for some sort of resolution just so they are not left wondering “What’s next?”
http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/article/al7283.htm
