Pelican Parts Forums - The opiod epidemic....

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Another REAL datapoint to add to this thread. My much younger cousin recently retired from the navy after nice career (CPO) mostly in San Diego and HI. Sharp, no-nonsense, good looking, and tough as nails...haven't seen her but a couple of times in decades...last time was ten years ago, and she introduced me to her nine year old kid. Well....he's dead now...

Four will die in NC today from opiate ODs according to experts....two from illegal heroin, two from big pharma sources....doesn't matter....dead is dead. My cousin's boy was in CA....

UPDATE: June 11, 2018

Published 12:26 p.m. CT Feb. 28, 2018

Anti-diarrhea meds are an opioid. People use them to get high.
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/now/2018/02/28/anti-diarrhea-meds-opioid-people-use-them-get-high/380798002/

January 30, 2018
FDA wants to curb abuse of Imodium, 'the poor man's methadone'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2018/01/30/fda-wants-to-curb-abuse-of-imodium-the-poor-mans-methadone/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.fd4ceb4804fc

Quote:

The products, readily available in supermarkets and drugstores, are safe when used at the recommended maximum daily dose of four 2-milligram tablets. But in large quantities, the agency warned, these products can cause dangerous, irregular heartbeats and other problems potentially resulting in death.

Loperamide, the generic name for the anti-diarrheal agent involved, is sometimes referred to as “the poor man's methadone.” In large quantities, it induces a cheap, mild high and relieves withdrawal symptoms for drugs like hydrocodone, morphine or heroin. People with addiction problems increasingly are turning to loperamide, experts say, as prescription opioids become harder to obtain because of changes in legislation and regulation.

The FDA said it has asked manufacturers to refashion their packages to contain only enough medication for short-term use. A single package, for example, might contain eight 2-milligram capsules, enough for two days. The agency also wants makers to use “unit dose packaging,” such as blister packs that must be individually unpeeled per dosage......................

January 31, 2018, 12:58 PM
FDA cracks down on abuse of anti-diarrhea medication
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-cracks-down-on-abuse-of-anti-diarrhea-medication/

Quote:

As part of its efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is asking manufacturers of over-the-counter anti-diarrhea treatments to change the way they package their products. The FDA says the voluntary measures are needed to curb the growing abuse of loperamide – sold under the brand name Imodium A-D, as well as store brands and generics – which is used by some suffering from opioid addiction as a potential way to manage withdrawal or maintain a high.

February 10, 2018
Drug War Update: Aspirin an ally, Imodium Not So Much
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/drug-war-update-aspirin-ally-imodium-not-so-much/

Quote:

Experts say it takes an enormous dose of anti-diarrhea medication to get high. Addicts have been found to be popping anywhere from 50 to 300 pills per day.

According to a 2016 study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, Imodium A-D, in massive doses, works in the body the same way as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone. However, Imodium A-D is a cheaper alternative since some big box stores sell 400 tablets for less than $10.

“Folks that are desperately addicted, folks that are looking to stave off withdrawal symptoms will do whatever it takes sometimes, really extreme things,” Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, of the Family and Children’s Association, told CBS New York at the time that study was published. “So in the scheme of things, taking 300 pills is not unheard of.”

I thought it was Fake News when I stumbled upon the news by accident, but checked a variety of sources.

So dope fiends went from drugs with constipation as a side effect
to medicine that primarily causes constipation with mild high as a side effect.

How a bout just spending money on helping people instead of on law enformcement in the War on drugs (which obviously doesn't work one way or another.

Portugal did just that, they had massive heroine addition problems.
And completely turned it around :

How Europeâ€™s heroin capital solved its overdose crisis

9 year old dead from narcotic overdose, seems like there is more to that story.

How many people have you prescribed narcotics to Keith, it is Keith isn't it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra (Post 10069500)

9 year old dead from narcotic overdose, seems like there is more to that story.

About ten years more. :(

AZ just passed a law where ER docs can only prescribe for 7 days, and surgeons can write post procedure for 14 days. everything else has to go through a primary, or pain management.

As for the pharmacist comment in the previous page. They usually will call prescriber if the customer is showing drug seeking behavior.

Don't blame the people misusing the product and breaking the law. It's everyone else's fault!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2 (Post 10275084)

Don't blame the people misusing the product and breaking the law. It's everyone else's fault!!!!!!

I'll be seeing my cousin in a week or so...her life is shattered forever...19 is too young to die.

He was one of the 50k who will OD and die this year...

I have no answers....nor green font...nope :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2 (Post 10275084)

Don't blame the people misusing the product and breaking the law.

Go ahead and continue to blame them. That’s worked so well so far. :rolleyes:

Or maybe get over casting blame and try to fix the problem.

Just saw on the news tonight, that they will be using medical grade heroin to help in the treatment of opioid addiction . I have no further comments about that

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2 (Post 10275084)

Don't blame the people misusing the product and breaking the law. It's everyone else's fault!!!!!!

China's unwillingness to control the Fentanyl exports from their country really is part of the problem.
Every use is like a roll of the cylinder during a game of Russian Roulette. Unknown quantity and quality kills many experienced users and people who are unaware of what they are taking.

KC911, I am sorry to hear of the loss of your cousins son. Such a waste.

UPDATE: Jan 25, 2019

About an 10 minute video in the link, also featured in this morning's news.

CBS News
January 24, 2019, 7:37 AM
Family behind OxyContin maker engineered opioid crisis, Massachusetts AG says
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/purdue-pharma-lawsuit-massachusetts-attorney-general-blames-sackler-family-for-creating-opioid-crisis-oxycontin/

Quote:

The Massachusetts attorney general is targeting Purdue Pharma and eight members of the Sackler family who own the company, alleging in a lawsuit they are "personally responsible" for deceptively selling OxyContin.

The attorney general, Maura Healey, sat down with "CBS This Morning." She alleges the Sackler family hired "hundreds of workers to carry out their wishes" – pushing doctors to get "more patients on opioids, at higher doses, for longer, than ever before" all while paying "themselves billions of dollars."

In her lawsuit, Healey names eight members of the family that own Purdue Pharma, alleging they "micromanaged" a "deceptive sales campaign." In the conclusion to the complaint, Healey said the Sackler family used the power at their disposal to engineer an opioid crisis. Almost 400,000 people died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2017, according to the CDC........................

Burke's home state of Massachusetts is one of 36 states now suing Purdue Pharma, accusing the company of downplaying the dangers of OxyContin. In a 2007 federal settlement, the company admitted to falsely selling the drug as "less addictive" than rival products. The company paid $630 million in fines.

Like I said earlier...read up about the Sacklers and the way big pharma sells....

BTW Perdue is running full page self serving ads in daily majors now....and they pay off politicians with a vengeance. They're not going to be punished.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cairns (Post 10330265)

Richard Sackler is quoted in writing in the video; hammer on the abusers.............

In other words, keep blaming the victims, distance us from the problem.

PART II on CBS Morning News on Saturday.

Here's what big Pharma gave to Congress last year alone (from Open Secrets):

Quote:

House # of Members Average Contribution Total Contributions
Democrats 193 $35,104 $6,775,090
Republicans 222 $43,904 $9,746,740
Independents 0 $0 $0
TOTAL 415 $39,812 $16,521,830

The US House of Representatives has 435 members and 5 non-voting delegates.
Totals may exceed 440 due to mid-term replacements.

Senate # of Members Average Contribution Total Contributions
Democrats 48 $84,544 $4,058,147
Republicans 48 $50,289 $2,413,902
Independents 2 $19,592 $39,184
TOTAL 98 $66,441 $6,511,233

The US Senate has 100 members.
Totals may exceed 100 due to mid-term replacements.

Your politicians have been bought and sold. Every one of them. Left or right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kach22i (Post 10069256)

Now we can better understand what Frank is going through

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNQ3sxvslhQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

High school friend, just lost his 24 year old son. he shot himself, but has been battling opoids for a good 5 years or more. he made the news a few times over the years . It is a daily occurrence in this area .

Quote:

Originally Posted by widebody911 (Post 10330482)

They say laugh or cry.

That was funny.

And there are those who need a pain killer and can't get it anymore. On October 27th I half fell/hung myself by my left arm from about 18 feet when the ladder I was on slipped out from under me. In the process I dislocated my arm and tore my rotator cuff quite severely. The soonest I will have surgery is March 6th, and besides the pain that comes just from day-to-day movement, the worst part (surprisingly) is how much it hurts when I sleep when I move wrong - it has seriously interrupted me getting deep sleep, and I've grown weary from it. To date, the doc has only been willing to give me 10 5mg Norcos. That's it. He says take advil.

So yeah, while my heart breaks for the addicts, I can see why people get upset by what they've done to those who have a real need for pain killers.

And it seems to me the real epidemic is millions who feel the need to drink or drug or otherwise medicate themselves in order to escape from something in society today. I'm not sure what that is, but whatever form it takes, it's growing big time. Ask your local county hospital how many more people are killing themselves with alcohol today. This doesn't happen in a vacuum, and very few addicts haven't first begun with alcohol abuse.