There is No ‘Epidemic’ of Painkiller Overdoses

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There is No ‘Epidemic’ of Painkiller Overdoses — Pain News Network | June 12, 2015 | By Ken McKim

A humorous analogy of the ridiculous restrictions placed on opioids:

There is no “epidemic” of opioid overdoses. If 16,000 deaths in a year is an epidemic, then we really need to focus on the pandemic that is the over 100 million people in the U.S. who suffer from chronic pain.

Not to mention the much more numerous deaths from flaws within the very medical system we are looking to for answers:

As this qualifies as an epidemic by some people’s twisted logic, I suggest we handle reducing car crash fatalities in the same manner that we regulate the prescribing of painkillers. 

Anyone currently navigating the twisted rules for getting opioid pain relief will immediately recognize which of our many travails are being lampooned.

Here are just a few samples from this oh-so-true humorous article:

  • you will only be able to purchase gasoline at particular gas station with a signed fuel-certificate from the DMV
  • each new 30-day supply will require another $40/five-hour appointment at the DMV.
  • your name entered into a national database as someone guilty of “fuel seeking behavior.”
  • able to refill your gas supply after 3PM on Fridays, weekends or holidays
  • The DMV also reserves the right to randomly smog check your vehicle at any time  

*The numbers above are from a CDC publication Opioid Addiction 2016 Facts & Figures:

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014

 

 

5 thoughts on “There is No ‘Epidemic’ of Painkiller Overdoses”

  1. Doc Anonymous

    Good to see some lighter hearted info. But FYI, Motor vehicle deaths have been steadily decreasing since the early 1970’s (See linked chart). That is a result of mandatory safety features on cars, beginning with the requirement that seat belts be installed in all passenger locations in 1968. Since then other safety features have been added: air bags, and energy absorbing “crumple” zones so that the vehicle rather than the person absorbs the energy of impact, to name a couple.

    It is frequently mis-stated that opioid deaths have surpassed motor vehicle deaths, but the fact is that ALL overdose deaths have exceeded Motor vehicle deaths, but the fact is that motor vehicle deaths have become LESS THAN all cause overdose deaths because of safety requirements for vehicles. It is intellectually dishonest and misleading to state that overdose deaths have surpassed motor vehicle deaths. It is even more abhorrent to also treat opioid deaths as if ALL overdose deaths were opioids. They are not. Light hearted fun aside, it is time for the anti-opioid zealots to take a lesson in intellectual honesty!

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