States to Get $485 Million for Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs

By | April 24, 2017

  • April 24, 2017 at 7:39 am
    PolarBeaRepeal says:
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    The PRIOR Administration started this program, but didn’t do enough, for whatever reason, as evidenced by the 33,000 deaths in 2015. The 2016 stats aren’t out, but aren’t likely to be much better. It may be that the Obama Administration was less concerned with prevention than it was with promoting legal pot, releasing criminals using POTUS pardons, releasing Gitmo prisoners, and promoting the welfare and well-being of ILLEGAL immigrants and other criminals…. than protecting hard-working American citizens and businesses that hire workers legally.

    • April 24, 2017 at 3:19 pm
      ExciteBiker says:
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      Politicizing addiction is counterproductive and does not move us forward in solving the crisis. Synthetic opioids really put this problem into overdrive– ultra high potency synthetics like fentanyl resulted in 79% increase in OD deaths from 2013-14.

      To its credit the Obama administration moved to prioritize treatment over incarceration for addiction treating it as a disease and a medical problem rather than a criminal justice issue. Steps were taken in 2015 resulting in the signing of the CARA bill by Obama in 2016. That bill is what now results in the grant allocations cited by this article.

      We should also credit the Trump administration where it is due for continuing to advance meaningful solutions to the opioid crisis.

      Counter to polar’s rant, the data are suggesting that states that have legalized cannabis actually have lower rates of opiate addiction. Perhaps that is why many of the lobbying dollars favoring prohibition over legalization are coming from the pharmaceutical industry. Alcoholic beverage & tobacco lobbies are two others that fund prohibition.

      • April 26, 2017 at 11:41 am
        Agent says:
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        Guess what, drugs have now surpassed liquor intoxication in auto accidents resulting in death by 43% to 37%. Marijuana and Meth lead the way on these have to get high drivers. Rapidly gaining on both of them is texting addicts who can’t seem to concentrate on the road while driving. The most deadly driver is one who is smoking a joint while texting on the cell.

        • April 26, 2017 at 2:37 pm
          Confused says:
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          You cannot combine marijuana and meth and compare them to alcohol. You’re comparing 2 drugs to 1. Each drug is its own peril.

          I bet alcohol is still #1 if you look at each drug individually.

        • April 26, 2017 at 2:41 pm
          Confused says:
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          PS – I bet the MOST deadly driver is the one shooting heroin or smoking meth while driving. There’s no way someone smoking a joint while driving is deadlier than someone putting a needle of opioids into their bloodstream.

          Driving while intoxicated on any substance is bad.

          Driving while texting is also bad.

          Doing both at the same time is very bad.

          But get some perspective — being high on weed behind the wheel is not as bad as being high on meth or heroin or LSD and driving.

        • April 29, 2017 at 5:30 pm
          Captain Planet says:
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          This being noted, driving impaired in any sort of way is not excusable. No one should do it. Also, comparing marijuana to meth is like comparing apples to couch lint.

  • April 24, 2017 at 1:14 pm
    RiceSusan Hacked the 2012 Election says:
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    The prior administration was too busy advancing their Socialist ideas and couldn’t help the people it is supposed to serve. Shameful.

  • April 24, 2017 at 1:51 pm
    wayne smith says:
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    In theory, where does the fed govt get its money? From tax payers in the states. Why not let states that have weak laws and problems deal with their own issues rather than taking money from one state and giving it to another?

    I say in theory because in reality the fed govt has been printing money (that states can’t) and often borrowing money in debt (which many states bar due to balanced budget laws).

    • April 27, 2017 at 6:29 pm
      UW says:
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      Also give far less money to states that won’t put stringent regulations on guns.

  • April 24, 2017 at 2:07 pm
    TexasAgent says:
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    Know who is never mentioned in articles about opioid addiction…the people who really do have chronic pain and need the medicines that were developed to help…these are the real victims…

    • April 24, 2017 at 3:44 pm
      Worried says:
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      If any doctor tries to tell me one result of my impending surgery is going to be a “new source of chronic pain” I will be heading straight to the acupuncturist for treatment.

      • April 27, 2017 at 6:38 pm
        UW says:
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        That won’t work for most chronic pain. Let’s base medical policy on science, not superstition and things that work in limited situations.

        • April 29, 2017 at 5:36 pm
          Captain Planet says:
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          Marijuana is proven to be effective for pain management. It is not physically addictive and has never led directly to death by overdose. Yet, we have Big Pharma fighting it and generating misleading propaganda, lying to people about jazz musicians stealing the white women and becoming murderers. Absolutely ridiculous.



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