[njbooher]

Why would we as a society make the most effective class of painkillers illegal as a response to the bad actions of one company?

(Pre-edit: Why would we make a highly effective class of severe painkillers illegal because of one bad actor?)

[lazide]

Well, the issue with opioids has always been how addictive they are - literally since the beginning. It’s ’chasing the dragon’ for a reason.

Considering both Heroin and Oxy were such big issues because the pharmaceutical companies pretended their formulations were less addictive when that was not only not the case, but they were worse, I guess what we should be banning is anything that isn’t uncut opium eh?

[johnisgood]

Have you ever seen an old lady become addicted to morphine? Regardless, "this is why we can't have nice things", because of people, because of addicts who die from drug overdose and we are all blaming the drugs for it and preventing people from having access to painkillers for their chronic pain.

It should not even to be said, but pain fucking sucks, and no one should wish it to anyone. Being "addicted" to opioids for pain (or depression & anxiety) is not good, but in the same vain that it is not good to be healthy for you to take NSAIDs on a daily basis, but that is just life for you.

Sure, I am all up for a physically harmless, non-addictive alternative, but until then, let people who have chronic pain (or acute pain, does not matter) decide.

[lazide]

I have, and I’ve seen old ladies die from OD’ng on morphine. I’ve also seen relatives in hospice get blessed relief from morphine overdoses.

I’m not saying opiates are ‘bad’. I’m saying they are powerful. And seductive.

And that IMO the worst part of the Oxy crisis (and heroin before that) isn’t that it was an opiate. It was that the manufacturer got to lie about how it was less addictive, when it actually was more addictive. And that meant people were less cautious, and it caused more damage.

The same thing that makes opiates powerful is the same thing that makes them dangerous. And destructive.

[johnisgood]

> I have, and I’ve seen old ladies die from OD’ng on morphine. I’ve also seen relatives in hospice get blessed relief from morphine overdoses.

How did that even happen in the first place? Something seems missing: history of substance abuse, suicide, etc.

> And that IMO the worst part of the Oxy crisis (and heroin before that) isn’t that it was an opiate. It was that the manufacturer got to lie about how it was less addictive, when it actually was more addictive. And that meant people were less cautious, and it caused more damage.

I agree, I am in favor of harm reduction techniques and regulations instead of an outright prohibition, etc.

> The same thing that makes opiates powerful is the same thing that makes them dangerous. And destructive

In all fairness, opiates never caused euphoria in me (yes, real opioids neither). They do help with depression and anxiety, along with some of my symptoms of MS.

Oftentimes opiates are (not exactly the substance itself) an issue because we do not know the purity. You can only do so much for someone, but it has definitely been an on-going issue (fentanyl laced anything is a major issue).

[lazide]

How did it happen?

Old people are in pain too, and sometimes that spirals out of control just like anyone else.

[johnisgood]

Which part? MS? Opiates not causing euphoria? Or what are you referring to?

I know, what I'm trying to say is that we should not deprive them of the options to reduce their pain because some self-destructive junkie (who probably has their own issues) decided to kill themselves.

[fragmede]

We made an entire class of medications (cannabinoids) illegal because of one bad actor (Regan), why wouldn't we do it again?

[noman-land]

Because that was the wrong decision and a disaster.