White House Panel Recommends Declaring National Emergency on Opioids

[tymorial]

6. The opioid crisis is just another "tough on crime" mantra used by politicians for political currency

The fact that people with chronic pain are harmed by these laws has been well discussed by others so I am not going to focus on that. It is a fair and valid point but I want to address those individuals for whom these laws target; addicts. I write target because they certainly do not help.

I speak from experience when I state that an addict is only going to get clean when they are ready to get clean. These laws largely address supply and access to opioids. When our supply and/or access is cut off the first thing we do is find another means to obtain our fix. Sure, we may suffer for a few days while we work it out. Maybe we substitute with something else in the meantime but by no means are we actually considering getting clean simply because we can't obtain our prescription online anymore. We're not going to just decide to get clean because physicians can only prescribe a week's worth of pills now. We're not going to just decide to get clean because the DEA changed the schedule of drugs that could be obtained online with ease... We didn't get clean 10 years ago when you could log into numerous websites and order 300 Vicodin using a credit card and filling out an online form... no questions asked no speaking to anyone. If you did have to speak to someone, they just asked you what you wanted... your telephone drug dealer from Florida.

Those of us who were in the throws of addiction back then we didn't get clean because the laws changed and the DEA raided a bunch of storefronts next to Disney. Nope, we found something else or we switched to street drugs.

Heroin is rampant around the country in areas where it was less of an issue just a few years ago. Now why do you think that is? Heroin is not refined like pills. There are no safety mechanisms in place to ensure quality control and stable dosage. All of these people who are prevented from accessing their pills are turning to street drugs to feed their habit. Why? They aren't ready. No law is ever going to make an addict be ready to get clean. These laws might force them to do something that could cause them to be arrested but that isn't helping someone get clean. As soon as they are in prison, they'll just get what they need anyway.

There is little love in this country for addicts. I do understand. Before I was an addict, my life was on its way. I had a good job, an great relationship and a ton of friends. One day I fell down the side of a cliff while free climbing and needed surgery to repair the damage sustained from the impact. I can't explain to you just how complete my life felt when I took the Vicodin prescribed. All of the good in my life just seemed better and the shitty parts of my past that haunted me didn't matter. That was it folks, I was hooked and I was going to keep taking it. I got it online, I got it from doctors. When I couldn't function anymore and lost my job and wife, I still used. I wasn't ready. I lost my access to drugs so I switched to something else and drank myself into oblivion. It went on like that for several years. I eventually came out the other side but not after being homeless and losing just about everything that ever mattered to me. My 20s were wasted.

I'm clean now and have been for 11 years but my story is not unique. It is being experienced by millions of people who have it far worse than I because they aren't ready. They will turn to street drugs and it WILL kill them. Trust me, I know. I went there and it took nearly dying (seriously, I was right there) to find my bottom.

I do feel for the people in pain who need opioids. I am sorry that these laws cause you to suffer and I recognize that many hate addicts because our behavior and addiction cause you more suffering. I do get that. This post wasn't for you. You have a lot of advocates speaking for you but addicts have far less... these laws aren't for us. They are for everyone else to feel good about doing something to end "drug abuse." Its horseshit.