David Dayen reminds us opioid emergency ends in a couple weeks
Lest we forget:
Politico notes today that the 90-day emergency declared actually ends in a couple weeks, and we’re in essentially the same place that we were before the declaration.Trump has not formally proposed any new resources or spending, typically the starting point for any emergency response. He promised to roll out a “really tough, really big, really great” advertising campaign to spread awareness about addiction, but that has yet to take shape. And key public health and drug posts in the administration remain vacant, so it’s not clear who has the authority to get new programs moving.A senior White House official said that the president has used the “bully pulpit” to bring urgency to the crisis, and if there’s one thing you want for your cause these days, it’s Donald Trump talking about it. Also it’s the equivalent of thoughts and prayers. By the way, Congress hasn’t really appropriated anything either, so this is a whole-of-government neglect.
Meanwhile, there’s a class divide among those suffering. Those with the means can get better treatment, in New York City and likely nationwide. The poor have to line up for their methadone treatment every day, putting extreme hassle into their lives.
The story is that an epidemic affecting white people would lead to a far more robust response than one that only affects minorities. With the opioid epidemic that’s only partially true.
“Just say no!” That’ll work.
Keep it illegal, no regulation!
That way the pusher man keeps his risk premium, the tainted drugs get rid of losers, protfit center prisons are filled and drug war profiteers thrive!
Note make that white folks in major urban areas, since rural folks such as in Austin In are affected, and the opoid epidemic is one of the reasons the death rate for 25 to 54 year old white is up. Surprisingly this would appear to be in the Trump base area. It is not clear that a lot of rural areas have even methadone clinics available without significant travel to get to one. (Just like Psychiatric care is scarce in rural areas as shrinks don’t like to live there.)
People take opioids either because their lives are miserable or because opioids are pushed on them by fraudulent clinics and profit-seeking distributors, not because they don’t know by now that they’re dangerous. And what is this lining up every day business? They are not trusted with a week’s supply, or what? The people enforcing this rule don’t know what scheduling problems poor people have, not to mention transportation, child-care and possible job-loss problems. We are becoming a cruel society, at least at the top.
Mona:
I have yet to finish an article I was asked to write on the topic of Opioids and how the Pharma industry is blocking any initiative dealing with the Opioid epidemic due to its profitability. There is a 50 state strategy followed by Pharma to circumvent any effort to better control the dispensing of Opioids for temporary pain coming from injury. Opioid manufacturing is a highly profitable business.
This comment:
“Meanwhile, there’s a class divide among those suffering. Those with the means can get better treatment, in New York City and likely nationwide. The poor have to line up for their methadone treatment every day, putting extreme hassle into their lives.
The story is that an epidemic affecting white people would lead to a far more robust response than one that only affects minorities. With the opioid epidemic that’s only partially true.”
is what you are referring to? I think you may have mistook what it really means.
As I pointed out before it is more a rural urban divide, the resources at least exist in urban areas, but are non existant in rural areas. Start with the very low number of shrinks in rural areas. For example folks in Austin, IN likley have to go to either Louisville, or Indianapolis for treatment at least until the dimensions of the problem are recognized.
Lyle:
The Opioid plague rests with Pharma and in particular Purdue Pharmaceuticals. Opioids are a extremely profitable business for them. They as well as other Opioid producing companies push on the state legislatures in each state. Your comment is an after the fact issue. Fix the source of the issue the same as big tobacco with the companies producing cigarettes and fair justice for all by providing adequate representation in the courts. What your proposal is after the fact.