[Forge36]

I believe the solution to this isn't "let more people have opioids", it's very hard to determine abuse, and requires monitoring. Reducing the number to monitor is one way increasing safety. Long term I believe the solution will move to "let's find a safer alternative to opioids".

Based on research canibis is promising http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullart... With a 25% reduction in opioid abuse by allowing patients access (not necessarily prescribing).

[evincarofautumn]

Kratom is an even better candidate in my opinion. It works very well for pain management and anxiety relief, and it’s both less dangerous (e.g., no respiratory depression) and less addictive (although still certainly habit-forming) than synthetic opiates. People use it to help kick addiction to opiates because it contains mild opioid receptor agonists. The DEA considered banning it late last year, but there was considerable backlash, and I doubt the new administration is going to move on it for a while.

[fapjacks]

Kratom is saving lives. When Alabama banned it, opiate overdose deaths shot up 30% (no pun intended). It really is one of the premier solutions to the country's opiate epidemic.

[evincarofautumn]

Yup. It’s been a massive help to me for managing anxiety, insomnia, some minor chronic pain, and a predisposition to alcohol abuse. It’s not a wonder-drug but it comes about as close as I personally could ask for.

[fapjacks]

This is exactly the same situation I am in. I found kratom in 2010 while looking for some solution to my back pain and arthritis which wasn't also a recreational drug. It ended up helping me with anxiety and depression associated with PTSD, chronic pain, and even helped me stop drinking altogether. I felt like marijuana was a pretty amazing thing before, but it isn't even on the same planet as kratom.