A War on Drugs, or Poor Americans?

Submitted by ub on

American physicians are tracking prescription meds. Also the pharmacists, and, in some jurisdictions, the police. Doctors prescribe pain killers, but the government appears to be trying to control the use of medicinal, along with recreational drugs.

First and foremost are opioids, these drugs include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as codeine, morphine, and many others. Opioids act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects and are primarily used for pain relief. Cancer survivors more likely to be prescribed opioids even years later, study finds - http://abcn.ws/2vIrKl5

The opioid epidemic has spurred states to launch “Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.” These programs allow law enforcement officials to gain access to private medical information, often without a warrant and even over the objections of state officials pressing for greater privacy protections. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/08/02/guess-whos-tracking-your-…

Is the war on drugs largely a war on poor people? https://longreads.com/2017/08/03/the-war-on-drugs-is-a-war-on-women-of-…

The administration’s criminal justice task force doesn’t appear to be pressing for major changes to federal pot policy. Huff, puff, pass? AG's pot fury not echoed by task force https://apnews.com/ad37624fcb8e485a8d57a013d48a227c

But feds are pressing Colorado and Washington for more answers on the impact of legalization there. Mr. Sessions raises "serious questions" about Colorado’s marijuana management in a letter to the government. http://dpo.st/2weH0TG

City's morgues are full, thanks to opioids @CNN http://cnn.it/2uhtVff

It is important to point out that doctors from top schools prescribe way fewer opioid pills. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-08/harvard-educated-doc…

Why it's so much easier to get an opioid prescription in the US than in Europe or Japan? https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/8/16049952/opioid-prescr…

Trump says US will 'win' in fight against opioid crisis https://cna.asia/2hHN6cd