Opiate Regulations

Often, opiate regulations have unintended consequences. Recently, the DEA has confirmed what healthcare providers have known for a while — heroin use is growing at an alarming rate. Part of the problem is that government attempts to deal with the problem of prescription opiates, like OxyContin, by reformulating the pain-killers so that they can’t easily be crushed and snorted or injected with a needle, push addicts to the streets to buy heroin. Because of regulatory obstacles, and because of the cost of prescription opiates, and because heroin is more plentiful, potent and relatively cheap, addicts are using heroin in lieu of opiates like OxyContin.

I’m not suggesting that prescription drugs go unregulated, but much more thought should go into potential consequences before rushing out regulations. Sometimes creative approaches are needed instead of using a legal hammer to deal with all drugs problems. Eventually, education and treatment are the answers to substance abuse and addiction, not more government regulations. There will always be a way for drug dealers to meet demand for drugs. Education must come from all parts of society, such as family, school, media, churches, doctors, etc.

A real national conversation is required that’s non-judgmental, non-punitive, non-moralistic –the conversation has to be a real conversation that doesn’t demonize drug use. When someone who has five bourbon and cokes a night demonizes a heroin user, the only difference is society decided to legalize alcohol as society’s approved drug. Alcohol kills way more people and causes more violence and destruction than heroin and all other drugs put together. So, if Americans can put the problem in perspective and look at drug addiction realistically so that real solutions are found, maybe we’ll make progress.

Valid treatment with national standards based on best practices is also sorely needed. So far, treatment efforts for addiction have been underfunded and inconsistent. Treatment facilities are hit and miss, will all types of ideas floating around about the treatment of addiction, some dangerous. There are highly educated health care providers who denigrate treatment and insist that it doesn’t work, but they have no solution. The reason treatment efforts have been inconsistent is that society can’t agree on an understanding of addiction. Addiction is considered a chronic brain disease, a moral failing, a law enforcement concern, a failure of will power, a demon possession, and so forth.

I have seen treatment work when quality care is provided by professionals who understand addiction. I have never seen prison/punishment work to end addiction. Treatment of addiction is about long term Recovery Management, and anyone who insists on telling drug addicts they only need to use more will power or become a moral person is not helping. It takes will power, principles and spiritual strength to recover, but there’s much more to it. The most damaging information given to drug addicts is that they can moderate their drug use (drink a few beers, smoke a joint now and then) if they receive therapy or strengthen their will power. Millions upon millions have died trying. Better information is required to understand the true nature of addiction.