Bush Anti-Drug Plan to Target Pain Killers

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040301_736.html

President Bush's national anti-drug strategy will for the first time target the use of pain relievers, sedatives and stimulants for nonmedical purposes, a problem that has exploded in the last decade.
A key part of the strategy being released Monday involves government efforts to help states develop monitoring systems to track a patient's use of prescription medicine. The monitoring programs flag cases that indicate a pattern of abuse, such as "doctor shopping," where a patient gets prescriptions for drugs from multiple physicians.

Prescription medicine now ranks second, behind marijuana, among drugs most abused by adults and young people, said the report by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy. It cited a recent study by the Health and Human Services Department.

Twenty states have prescription monitoring programs, the report said. John Walters, director of the drug policy office, said he expects to expand the program to 11 more states by next year. About $10 million in federal funds will bankroll the expansion.

And the first person they need to monitor is Limbaugh! They ought to make him the poster child by slapping his lard butt in jail! But people who really need the pain killers won't get them cause their doctors will be afraid of running afoul of Ashcroft!

and his apparent criminal abuse of prescription drugs?

Doctors make their patients suffer too much NOW under some misguided misconception that wanting an absence of pain is somehow immoral.

Really, denying a terminal cancer patient opiates in his last month of life because he might get HOOKED on them?

I guess we're supposed to pray to Mel Gibson to take away our pain?

How about a database to find out who's "Gettin' back into The Game" too much.

...manufacturers to voluntarily restrict their usage.

Rush Limbaugh is, after all, a national treasure. Bush said so. And it's important to keep our national treasures happy, right? Besides, Pickles and Junior, no doubt, enjoy the occasional oxy bender, too.

My doctor has said that he doesnt care what the govt. thinks.
He took an oath.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4472804§ion=news

Officials said they were taking particular aim at Internet pharmacies that sell controlled substances illegally and create easy access for teenagers, 14 percent of whom abuse prescription drugs.

"We intend to curtail this vicious practice that targets our youth in particular because of their access and interest in the Internet," John Walters, head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, or ONDCP, said at a press conference
<snip>

It's pretty hard to argue that Americans can't get their drugs 'safely' by ordering over the internet from Canada. So, change the argument. Now the argument is that internet pharmacies might sell illegal painkillers to children.

Our drug laws are so hypocritical. Patients who legitimately need strong painkillers to function already have to grovel and beg before most MD's will help them. I'm a psychotherapist, not a doctor, but I see many of these people in my practice. But any one of them can stop on the way home and buy a bottle of vodka to legally "medicate" their pain. Geez, can we let people benefit from painkillers, tranquilizers, etc, and EDUCATE them about the dangers of over-use? No, that takes too much TIME and MONEY. Just pass a new law . . . and restrict more freedoms. End of rant :o

welcome to DU! :hi:

And a big Amen to your post.

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

Anti-Drug Strategy to Include Pain Killers

Thanks!

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