FDA Recommends Tightening Access To Hydrocodone Pain-Killers

[hollowdweller]

37. These drugs are a huge problem in my state

We have a huge population of junkies.

The medical system is overwhelmed with fallout from these people. OD is the leading cause of death for those under 45 in my state.

The mayor of War WV was actually killed by junkies who needed money for pills.

I've had several clients who tried to dissolve time release pain patches and OD'd on them.

There are 10 houses on my hollow and 3 people have died from OD's on my hollow alone.

Most of the people are not insured or are on medicaid so it adds a huge amount of unecessary expense to the system.

A very good friend got addicted and died not from OD but from Liver Cancer due to poorly controlled Hepatitis.

Medical marijuana would be a WAY better thing to give for chronic pain. If you run out of pot you may feel pain but your first thought is not to rob someone

Also while the reg may help SOME, I believe that, just like the crack epidemic of the 80's there is a HUGE economic aspect to this problem. Basically I review medical claims and about the time we reformed welfare and instituted fly overs and widespread drug testing we began to see an increase in the abuse of painkillers.

If you are poor and get medicaid and can get benzodiazapenes or painkillers then you can sell them and make WAY more than you used to be able to on AFDC.

I met one guy who told me that after an on the job accident he could no longer do construction and had to work in food. His salary went from 20 to 12 an hour but he made his child support and truck payment by selling his vicodin and just dealing with the pain.

I used to work with another girl who had femal surgery. The doctor gave her a big bottle of painkillers she took them for about a week and then sold the rest in her trailer park and totally paid off her deductable.

A friend in another town tells me he has several neighbors who have got their kids or themselves diagnosed with ADD so they can get and sell the Adderal they get.

It's a huge supplement to some peoples income. Also with the junkies you really don't want to let anybody know you have been to the hospital for surgery or anything or you are inviting a break in.


http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201207200057

http://wvmetronews.com/2013/10/08/west-virginia-ranks-first-in-drug-overdose-deaths/

http://www.fbi.gov/pittsburgh/press-releases/2012/lincoln-county-woman-faces-federal-charges-in-teays-valley-nursing-home-robbery

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Elderly_Woman_Beaten_and_Tied_Up_During_Home_Invasion_117371558.html

http://www.wvva.com/story/20197628/2012/11/27/woman-robbed-in-her-driveway

http://wvmetronews.com/2013/06/27/prescription-pill-addiction-led-to-hostage-situation/


Seriously it's a HUGE problem and really a big burden on the legal and health care system. I dont' think people in pain should be denied medicine, especially people in ACUTE pain, but there are better ways to control chronic pain than addictive drugs.

However WV is either dead last or near last in income and any solution will have to take into consideration that a LOT of the spread has to do with economics.

As they have toughened up on prescribing the stuff here numerous out of state gangs have moved in to fill the demand with pills from Florida where they are still lax or with heroin and then you got gangs from Columbus, and Detroit shooting it out in WV.

They've opened Pandoras box overprescribing these things and it's going to be a slow process in weaning people off of these things without causing even more problems.