There is a anti-opiate group having a rally/protest in DC next month… The initial gut reaction by some in the chronic pain community is to show up and have a counter protest.
But this group is just patting all those in Congress and the bureaucracy to continue doing what they are doing… a counter protest could give them just that credibility and attention that they don’t deserve or would otherwise get.
Over the last decade, especially during this administration, the war on drugs has taken a definite change in direction, focused on pts, pharmacies/Pharmacists, drug wholesalers and prescribers. Not really sure why the dramatic change.. Could it be in the same time that 25 states have decriminalize/legalize MJ/MMJ in that time frame and the DEA could stand to loose all states as more have it on the ballot this fall… that means that the DEA stands the possibility of losing a lot of funding unless they find another reason to keep their funding. Could it also be part of this administration’s promise to fundamentally change America.
Congress creates laws and fund governmental agencies via the Federal budget process. Congress also has the ability – although seldom uses it – the ability to revoke/rescind existing laws that are no longer appropriate.
They can even pass new laws – which they do 300-400 times a year – that are in conflict with existing laws on the books and/or makes existing laws on the books unconstitutional.
Congress works on a “seniority system” .. the old guard/establishment dictates the entire process. As has been proven over the time, nothing has changed for the positive in the chronic pain community. Congress has turned a deft ear/blind eye to the medical needs of about 1/3 of our population.
In fact, they have seeming done things that are harming/killing and/or causing people to commit suicide because of the Federal agencies’ activities.
Is it time for the chronic community to SPEAK UP… and do it at the voting booth. We don’t know what visible or invisible groups have the ear of those in Congress and to date have seemingly been successful in influencing the direction of the war on drugs/pts. Lobbyists spend NINE MILLION/DAY trying to influence Congress… THREE BILLION + /yr. They are not spending that kind of money… without getting the results that they want.
The chronic pain community’s votes could have MORE VALUE than all those BILLIONS that are being spent to influence Congress. How much is your health worth ?
Filed under: General Problems
You might be right
But
Any opportunity to change this narrative will save lives
Since the congressmen are in their local districts at this time, why don’t CPP’s find out where their congressmen are going to be during this vacation time (not Sunday the 18th, but a weekday) and set up protests all over the country at town meetings, congressman’s offices, etc. That would mean less travel, less pain. I’ll set up a page on Doctorsofcourage.org for people to put down where/when a protest will be held. Just let me know. If we can coordinate it on just a few days, we should get media coverage. I just wish people would learn the REAL cause of drug abuse to use as an argument. That’s the only way to combat the opiaphobia frenzy and find a cure. The “I need my pain medicine” just isn’t enough.
This call to “vote the bums out” is simply misguided to make such a generalization. Some of these new congressmen are so off the wall it is scary. Change doesn’t happen in four years and it takes time to learn the ropes and to create relationships where people can even listen to each other. Some of the most dedicated best people have been in government for years and yes, as a career and I don’t think they should just be round up with cute slogan like “Vote the bums out” Be careful what you ask for. Virtually all the Republicans voted against funding for emergencies yet when an emergency, they are first calling upon the federal government for help. Would you automatically vote them all out? I don’t think so. It’s gotten to the point where most of them just vote as a block so there is little individuality but it takes more than just one vote or even whether they are Democrat or Republican to really know the quality and integrity of a candidate and I doubt many people take the time to iresearch a person before casting their ballot. Sad but true.
Cheek50, I agree with you. I gave Charlie Crist some information and wanting to follow up with more info explaining the truth about addiction statistics and how doctor’s and pharmacists are dropping people because they are reacting with fear to the CDC/.DEA guidelines and if your own doctor doesn’t care enough to give you warning, do you think a politician will? Yet a friend gave me a letter most of it was about her own laundry list and how it is impacting her life. We have to be realistic and make this about what they have skin in and that is wining the election and 116 million people is a big constituiency if they would realize we want to be recognized and hear that they are going to make sure we are not left as collateral damage on this crusade to deal with addiction that they need to realize is different from dependency. I just read only 2% of the people dying come from prescription drugs yet patients are the one’s who are being punished and falling through the cracks as a result. The best most factual article about this doesn’t always work and you might get part way there…I refer people to Steve’s blog where I summarized the research that was documented with two pages of references: http://www.tandfonline.com/…/…/10.3109/15360288.2015.1136368 summarized what I learned in that 10 page document: Do a search for Negative Outcomes of Unbalanced Opioid Policy supported by clinicians, politicians, and the media. February 18,2016