The surgeon general, backed by overwhelming medical research, rejected that notion. “Research on alcohol and drug use, and addiction, has led to an increase of knowledge and to one clear conclusion: Addiction to alcohol or drugs is a chronic but treatable brain disease that requires medical intervention, not moral judgment,” the report states.
If addiction to opiates/alcohol/nicotine is a BRAIN DISEASE… then how can a pt being prescribed a opiate or controlled substance CAUSE THIS ?
In 1914 Congress passed the Harrison Narcotic Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Narcotics_Tax_Act
and in 1917 this act caused our judicial system to determine that opiate addiction was a CRIME and not a DISEASE… thus making it illegal for a prescriber to treat/maintain a addict
The act appears to be concerned about the marketing of opiates. However a clause applying to doctors allowed distribution “in the course of his professional practice only.” This clause was interpreted after 1917 to mean that a doctor could not prescribe opiates to an addict, since addiction was not considered a disease. A number of doctors were arrested and some were imprisoned. The medical profession quickly learned not to supply opiates to addicts. In United States v. Doremus, 249 U.S. 86 (1919), the Supreme Court ruled that the Harrison Act was constitutional, and in Webb v. United States, 249 U.S. 96, 99 (1919) that physicians could not prescribe narcotics solely for maintenance.[14]
Does the Surgeon General have the authority to declare that a judicial decision is illegal/unconstitutional ?
If addiction is a “brain disease” why did the CDC bring out opiate dosing guidelines and putting daily mg limits on therapy ? Are different agencies not communicating with one another and just going about willy-nilly creating guidelines and/or interpretation of laws without concern of what other Federal agencies are doing? Meaning various agencies are generating conflicting policies and at the same time compromising/harming the quality of life of millions of our citizens ?
Filed under: General Problems
A doctor can’t prescribe narcotics solely for addiction maintenance? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3411273/ However, http://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-recovery/2016/05/beyond-cdc-guidelines-for-opioid-prescribing-whats-next/ “So there’s much to praise in new prescribing guidelines released recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that seek to change that narrative. Most notably, the guidelines encourage doctors to use non-opioid drugs wherever possible and to limit any opioid painkillers they do prescribe to low doses and less than a one-week supply. Many experts believe doctors will embrace the recommendations and the results will be transformative, helping to prevent new opioid addictions from taking hold.” So it seems that an analgesic for pain is almost impossible to get, for pain, which I bet we will see encourages the seeking of ulterior ways for treatment for their pain. But you can get Methadone if you have an active addiction? It’s a setup!
Steve, you’ve made a very important point regarding addiction. A drink, a pill, and a plant does not “cause” addiction. If they did, then sex would “cause” sex addiction; gambling would “cause” gambling addiction; shopping would “cause” shopping addiction.
Steve Ariens you are a freaking genius!
I almost got flunked out of a pharmacy school class because I would not concede that addiction was a disease.
Excellent point!!!
Thank you Steve for continually bringing us information that, I for one, would not be able to find, because I often am not aware of the problems. I am a chronic pain person with fibromyalgia, having to go off some of my pain meds, hoping no more. My long term good doc, after I was upset that she could no longer give me diazepam for sleep because I take pain meds, left the room, and said in a voice that was raised in frustration “My hands are tied!” I have taken the combination for well over 20 years, not dead yet. However, found that the supplement Mellatonin works pretty good. And so did one puff of pot, but she had to say no to that as well (live in Pueblo, Colorado where there are pot shops everywhere, but even in the 60’s didn’t enjoy the stuff, but just one puff before bed is okay).
With appreciation, Judy Underwood
F—– BRILLANT,,,STEVE,,,,mary
excellent point! can’t control addiction. utter stupidity
Also a good question is why are cancer patients getting opiates for Pain if it doesn’t in fact help pain? Many as we know are not getting them.. but just saying. Very contradictory.
Thank you, Danny! That’s an excellent point! If long-term opioid therapy is not “effective” for severe chronic pain caused by diseases and injuries that don’t involve cancer, then why in the world would they be “effective” for severe chronic pain caused by cancer and its treatments?
“Pain mechanisms do not discriminate between cancer and noncancer pathophysiology.” In fact, patients suffering chronic pain (whether its caused by cancer and/or its treatments or caused by a benign condition) “have essentially identical pain-generating physiologies, and thus the same mechanisms for the development of their pain (eg, inflammatory pain in a cancer patient will be the same physiological process as in a noncancer patient).”
Pain is pain. It does not discriminate. It does not care whether it comes from a benign or malignant condition. Chronic pain caused by cancer and/or its treatments shares the same neurophysiologic pathway as chronic pain caused by benign conditions.
Come to my webinar Dec 1 at 4:00 EST and see what the REAL Cause of drug abuse is. It isn’t the drugs. Go to https://join.me/sevenpillars
Or you can go to my website homepage http://www.doctorsofcourage.org, scroll down to the button Join the Webinar