Like pillars right against the edges

I would never suggest that what works in another country would work here in the US totally unchanged

But it does provide useful data that can guide rational decision making

Since this is a debate, help me with this...
Is it right for politicians to act as doctors? For example, the “opioid epidemic” Politicians say everyone who takes pain meds will become addicts, overdose and die. To solve the problem they’ve enacted legislation that’s actually hurting responsible pain patients... veterans/cancer patients/chronic pain patients... by cutting off their access to pain meds, which, in turn has forced record numbers of them to turn to suicide.

Yes, it is right for politicians to regulate the legality and use of medical compounds.

True, but by saving lives their actually hurting lives... right?

I’m not saying they shouldn’t regulate. I just don’t think the politicians should cut off all access

At a national level, politics is a calculation of human lives. We could talk about whether they're causing more harm than good, but the fact that the legislation causes people any amount of suffering isn't a refutation of the act by itself.

But yes, a total cutoff is probably not the best decision.

So how do I get this message to politicians?

Sending them messages, but they mostly ignore those.

You can stage a protest, but it probably won't be big enough.

You could strike out violently, but then you'd be dismissed as a loonie.

And thank you for answering my question. A large part of the reason I signed up here was because Tim seems like a decent guy who actually cares

I’m not violent at all

I’m not the protest type either

Oh, the opioid debate

Tim really does seem to be doing his best to understand issues, and he gets a lot of respect from me for that, even when I think he's wrong.

As a medical provider I think we've swung too far the other way now

I also am 10th Amendment Cat for a reason. Regulation of professions is not enumerated in the Constitution and therefore authority to regulate it resides with the states and not the federal gov't.

Thank you! I cannot tell you how many patients are considering or have taken their own lives because of this

I understand the FDA and regulation of medications that are part of commerce

Which is a shame.

Solid statistics would be nice.

But regulating what I can prescribe is supposed to be a state decision

I know, I have them in my notes. I’ll get them for you as soon as I can

It really is a shame how many constitutional clauses get ignored/reinterpreted for convenience these days.

Rick Scott is such a butt head

Yes, there are a lot of frightened people out there. That said we got really stupid as a nation with opioids.

He actually thinks he’s a doctor

Yes, two of my cousins are drug addicts

But, two other are vets who now cannot get the meds they need

Opioids need to be used responsibly and we forgot that from about 1995 through about 2015

While my drug addicted cousins get drug rehab over and over again

And now the health insurance companies aren’t covering the drugs, the chain pharmacies refuse to fill them and the mom and pop shoppers get all the pain scripts, which looks suspicious to the DEA. I don’t know what the answer is?

Sorry to be a downer. I had to ask. Return to your normal conversations now 👍🏻

No, this is an important conversation to have.

Absolutely. Very timely.

And Cat, the sad thing about the 10th Amendment is, the ones who uphold it will always be at a disadvantage to those who ignore it.

Yeah

Look at Goldwater. Amazing man. Totally comitted to the rights and freedoms of individuals.