America’s drug overdose crisis is out of control. Washington, despite a bipartisan desire to combat it, is finding its addiction-fighting programs are failing.
In 2018, Republicans, Democrats and then-President Donald Trump united around legislation that threw $20 billion into treatment, prevention and recovery. But five years later, the SUPPORT Act has lapsed and the number of Americans dying from overdoses has grown more than 60 percent, driven by illicit fentanyl. The battle has turned into a slog.
Even though 105,000 Americans died last year, Congress is showing little urgency about reupping the law since it expired on Sept. 30. That’s not because of partisan division, but a realization that there are no quick fixes a new law could bring to bear.
Just let doctors prescribe painkillers fucking christ. Kicking legit patients off meds drives this entire issue.
It has gotten unbelievable in the last 10 years, even if you’ve just had major surgery, they’ll send you home and tell you to take Tylenol.
I had minor surgery last year and the sent me home with an opiate prescription. I didn’t take it because the effects to me are worse than the pain, but they did give it to me.
This is an oversimplification.