Few actions so perfectly combine stupidity and cruelty as denying pain relief to the dying because narcotics can be addictive. While policy makers squander billions on an unwinnable war on illicit drugs, each year tens of millions of people around the world, including 4.8 million cancer [RETURN TO ARTICLE]
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Reader Comments
There are 70,000,00 non-cancer and non- HIV patients suffering from chronic pain in the U.S. Their lives are hell. Some of them are confined to bed. Some of them commit suicide because their pain is unbearable.
Why are they invisible? Why do they have to suffer so greatly? It’s because the DEA has frightened cowardly doctors so much that the doctors would rather let chronic pain patients die than treat them.
Exaggeration? Wait until you or someone you love becomes a chronic pain patient. You will be regarded as a criminal. You will have to submit to random urine testing. Most doctors will prescribe useless and dangerous drugs instead of the safe opiods that you need. They will also refer you for physical therapy that makes your pain even worse. They will drop you as a patient and they can do so without giving any reason.
Good luck. You’ll need it.
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