U.S. Attorney General Talks Opioid Crisis: ‘Take Some Aspirin’
http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/us-attorney-general-talks-opioid-crisis-take-some-aspirin
As he addressed a crowd of prosecutors and police officers at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Sessions offered his opinion for preventing addiction.
“I believe – and I am operating under the assumption – that this country prescribes too many opioids,” he said. “I mean people need to take some aspirin sometimes and tough it out a little.”
Some people in the crowd laughed. Sessions then imitated Gen. John Kelly, President Trump’s chief of staff, whom the attorney general says refused to take pain medication after a recent surgery on his hand.
“He said, ‘I’m not taking any drugs!’” said Sessions. “It did hurt though, he did admit it hurt. But a lot of people, you can get through these things.”
Sessions says stopping addiction before it starts is the most important element in the nation’s fight against opioids.
He outlined ways the federal Drug Enforcement Agency is working to curb addiction. Sessions says the DEA announced earlier this week that the agency will now ask individual practitioners applying for licenses or renewing their licenses whether they have received continuing education on prescribing and dispensing opioids.
“DEA can ensure that doctors have the CDC’s latest guidance on opioid prescribing so they don’t accidently over-prescribe,” Sessions said.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott and some members of the state legislature are pushing for a three-day cap on opioid prescriptions, and a seven-day cap when medically necessary.
But opponents of the bill, including many physicians, say those limits are unreasonable for people in intense pain, like those recovering from major surgery.
While Florida has cracked down on pill mills notorious for pumping out unnecessary prescription drugs, the state is still one of the hardest hit by the opioid crisis.
During his remarks in Tampa, Sessions suggested the rise in fentanyl sold on the streets is to blame.
“Fentanyl-related deaths [in Florida] jumped 97 percent [from 2015-2016],” he said. “So the driving factor, you can see in Florida maybe more than in the nation, is fentanyl.”
Sessions told members of law enforcement in the audience that as of Tuesday, all fentanyl-related substances would become scheduled on an emergency basis by the DEA.
“Fentanyl is the No.1 killer in America,” he said. “Scheduling and restricting all forms of this drug will make it easier for you and your agents to prosecute drug traffickers.”
Over the summer Sessions deemed central Florida one of 12 opioid “hot spots” in America. That led to the appointment of Kelly Howard-Allen, who has been with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa for more than 15 years, as the area’s “opioid fraud prosecutor.”
Howard-Allen will focus solely on investigating and prosecuting opioid-related health care fraud. Sessions said her new position allowed the office in Tampa to hire another assistant U.S. attorney, Greg Pizzo.
Filed under: General Problems
just did you govt. assholes would not post it
Jeff Sessions, you are more evel than even satan him self. expirements in Hitlers death camps, were more civilized than you are, in the past vivisectionist who disassembled animals and humans alive were more humane Than the way you think. if you had even one brain cell of a human being left in your inbread looking head, you would commit suicide, by stepping in front of a train…….do it, do it now………….
I need to get a conductors license i will run him over personally
This man and other ignorant controllers/enforcers need to be given some on the job training about chronic pain using a baseball bat until hes within an inch of his life then they will know what it feels like to be told to suck it up.
Yes i have pondered that same thought
Get Sessions the FK out of here!!!!!
Use tabe people like sessions were surrounded by security and plexi glass he And his ilk are basically getting away with murder.
36 year’s ago I did deliver a 9 pound baby boy naturally. But after an accident many year’s later and 2 year’s of being bed-ridden my then doctor prescribed pain medication after nothing else worked. My life took a drastic change, but I was able to function.
If they are going to remove the meds that helped then find something else to replace them.
I choose to be in pain now. I refuse to play their game.Or be apart of it.
All these idiots in one planet seriously wish they’d be sucked off the earth. Their thinking is skewed. Might have to do with all the booze they drink. Like how is booze still available everywhere it should be made illegal also because a lot people drink to kill their pain. If i could stomach alcohol i would certainly be drinking to addiction right now. But that’s perfectly acceptable. How many people die grim alcohol related deaths a year thru addiction disease drunk driving but pills are a problem? The hypocrisy disgusts me.
These people are just idiots. I too didn’t take my pain meds when I bad an emergency appendectomy . because it didn’t hurt. Some discomfort but no pain. I didn’t even fill the script.
This was all before some of my chronic pain cane to be.
BUT the pain I have in my neck and back for the past 20 years is unbearable at times and I do need my pain meds- everyday.
Stop thinking all these PAINS are the same with everyone!!!!!
They have to see the differences in all of this. E everyone is different. Everyone’s pain is different, the cause of pain is different.
You can’t compare someone’s hand surgery to someone who has been battling a disease or birth defect or injury, for 5, 10 or 20 years. IT IS NOT THE SAME THING!!!!!!!!
Sessions and his motley crew don’t have a clue. “Stopping addiction before it starts is the most important element in the nation’s fight against opioids “. Everyone that takes pain medication does not become addicted to them. They need to stop confusing/grouping street drugs and helpful pain medications together. Sounds like they need the education.
So glad doctors finally spoke up on the ridiculous prescription cap.
Wonder when Session’s wife was delivering his baby did he tell her to ” take an aspirin and tough it out a little”?
What idiots especially John Kelly he should of taken the pain medication for his hand surgery and not listened to the bull from his colleagues.
sessions and his crew don’ t have a clue. “Stopping addiction before it starts is the most important element in the nation’s fight against opioids “. When are they going to realize not everyone taking them gets addicted.
Then he was quoted as saying fentyal was to blame. He sounds crazy, especially the limits he wants to set on prescriptions. At least some doctors spoke up on this.
Wonder if Session’s told his wife as she delivered his baby to “take an aspirin”and ” tough it out a little”. What an idiot!