Would going back to lower restrictions on opioids improve the fentanyl problem

[Proud90sKid]

I remember in 2010 where you couldnt go anywhere without hearing the horrors of oxycodone addiction. Those horrors were factual and so were the overdoses. That said, as a result of the US government response to this problem, we ended up with not reduced demand, but reduced supply. Also, a different supplier: the cartel and not big pharma. Both are bad, but at least big pharma is more regulated. There are significantly more people overdosing now because cartel is using fentanyl to fill demand, which is inherently much more dangerous and again was introduced simply due to a lack of legal supply with ongoing demand. We all know how capitalism operates (and black market is pure unregulated capitalism at its worst). Take away a source of competition with regulation and often the wrong people get opportunistic. The demand got filled with a more dangerous and less regulated product. Did America completely mess up when it came to this sort of regulation? I struggle to get medication filled now because my doctor is in a different city. I wonder if these increased pharm policies have actually saved a single person. Is it just a feel good measure? A consistent dose of a known opioid is actually less harmful than alcohol abuse. But we have forced these people to black market fentanyl. Did government just exponentially increase the problem? The death stats seem to suggest exactly that, but Im no public health expert.

Dont get me wrong, oxy addiction can and usually will mess up your life (or end it). Definitely not recommending anyone try to get a script unless they are in pain. But fentanyl being prevalent is objectively much worse. Has a higher probability of doing both. Not saying oxy is good-any opioid addiction is very bad and often tragic. But from a harm reduction standpoint, did we go wrong?

Problem with fentanyl: it isnt inherently bad when used medically, but as a super potent synthetic opioid, production that ensures precise dosing is not a thing when dealing with an unregulated market that cant be sued when you die. Therefore, these cartel people couldnt care less what happens to the user. The only concern they have with death is they lose a customer and maybe some small middleman goes to prison. Meanwhile, they are filling 18 wheelers with the stuff so business wont exactly suffer from the loss of a middleman. The extreme capitalism of the unregulated market ensures someone will take their place. It is that heartless.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

Hey,

I think you'll get more results in Current Events & Debates, so I moved your thread.

I do agree with you. There are a lot of legitimate chromic pain patients that can't get relief from your over the counter products like Tylenol or Ibuprofen, and a lot of the time they are denied appropriate pain management because they are deemed to be drug seeking. You go to the ER with legitimate pain and it's hit or miss if you get relief. Luckily last time I went I got Dilaudid, but I was also jaundiced so they knew there was an issue going on. I was surprised I got it so easily to be honest!

I think there SHOULD be some type of check to make sure the patient still needs the pain medication, but I don't know what that would be without causing them to go off of it. There are people who take a few prescribed pills, like how it feels, and then look elsewhere. For example something like Percocet after a wisdom tooth surgery shouldn't have to be constantly refilled barring any complications from surgery. But chromic pain patients NEED opioids and I'd be afraid of them turning to other sources.

As long as doctors are afraid of getting in trouble for prescribing chronic pain patients their needed relief, we have an issue.

I rambled so I don't know if this makes sense haha.