46,471: Drug Overdoses Killed More Americans Than Car Crashes or Guns
CNSNews.com) - "Drug overdose deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States, ahead of motor vehicle deaths and firearms (deaths)," the Drug Enforcement Agency announced on Wednesday.
In 2013, the most recent year for which data is available, 46,471 people in the United States died from drug overdoses, and more than half of those deaths were caused by prescription painkillers and heroin.
That compares with the 35,369 who died in motor vehicle crashes and 33,636 who died from firearms, as tallied by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cnsnews.com/print/412774
Politicians rarely talk about prescription drug deaths because Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Glaxo Smith Kline are big donors to both parties. They are also funding alot of the anti-marijuana groups.
Quote:Politicians rarely talk about prescription drug deaths because Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Glaxo Smith Kline are big donors to both parties. They are also funding alot of the anti-marijuana groups.
Politicians rarely talk about PDDs because for every death thousands of lives are improved. Marijuana does not cure cancer, Pfizer does.
Quote:Politicians rarely talk about PDDs because for every death thousands of lives are improved. Marijuana does not cure cancer, Pfizer does.
I'm not talking about cancer drugs. I'm talking about opioids (Vicotin, Oxycontin, methadone).
Quote:I'm not talking about cancer drugs. I'm talking about opioids (Vicotin, Oxycontin, methadone).
Shhhh he's busy shilling.
No its not talked about because of political donations.
Quote:Shhhh he's busy shilling.
No its not talked about because of political donations.
I'm sorry, you've had cancer or another similar debilitating condition that required such medications?
Quote:I'm not talking about cancer drugs. I'm talking about opioids (Vicotin, Oxycontin, methadone).
You've tried those cancer drugs without the opioids then?
Quote:Yes.
And you still think that?
Quote:And you still think that?
Yes.
Prescription drugs cause deaths (MJ does not). They also make a ton of cash for the pharma companies. The same ones that donate gobs of cash to politicians for myriad of legislative handouts. Politicians don't bite the hand that feeds.
What in our interactions in the past and my thoughts on campaign finance would lead you to think I might not say what I think on the matter?
Quote:Yes.
Prescription drugs cause deaths (MJ does not). They also make a ton of cash for the pharma companies. The same ones that donate gobs of cash to politicians for myriad of legislative handouts. Politicians don't bite the hand that feeds.
What in our interactions in the past and my thoughts on campaign finance would lead you to think I might not say what I think on the matter?
Generally speaking, my interactions with the anti-pharmaceutical crowd are limited to those who've never really needed them. On the other hand, while spending time in my local infusion center I find that those people are overwhelmingly in favor of them.
Quote:Generally speaking, my interactions with the anti-pharmaceutical crowd are limited to those who've never really needed them. On the other hand, while spending time in my local infusion center I find that those people are overwhelmingly in favor of them.
I fall into both categories, actually. I'm going to be on several medications for the rest of my life for a certain condition, and I would most assuredly die without them. On the other hand, my doctor and I have experimented with other "new" medications in the past that we've both felt accomplished nothing other than costing me more money, one of which actually had a pretty sharply negative effect. To say that I think all pharmaceutical companies are evil or profiteers would be wrong, but they're not exactly altruistic either. When the patent on a drug is about to expire, they'll often just change a few molecules around or merge it with another about-to-expire patented drug to get a new patent in place with no real advancement. Nexium and Caduet both come to mind immediately as examples of that.
I am also a big proponent of legalization of marijuana. It doesn't cure anything, but it sure does have some positive side effects. Moving to Texas and losing access to pot has already been a challenge for me.
I live in WV. The prescription pill abuse is through the rough and it is all legal.
Quote:Generally speaking, my interactions with the anti-pharmaceutical crowd are limited to those who've never really needed them. On the other hand, while spending time in my local infusion center I find that those people are overwhelmingly in favor of them.
My wife is a pharmacist at Publix. Opioid overprescription is a real thing. There are almost as many opioid prescriptions written in this country as there are people. I also know, and understand, the benefits of pharmaceuticals. I am not "anti-pharmaceutical". There are instances where a person does need something like Vicotin. There are also many, many instances where they do not and yet are able to get prescriptions.
Quote:My wife is a pharmacist at Publix. Opioid overprescription is a real thing. There are almost as many opioid prescriptions written in this country as there are people. I also know, and understand, the benefits of pharmaceuticals. I am not "anti-pharmaceutical". There are instances where a person does need something like Vicotin. There are also many, many instances where they do not and yet are able to get prescriptions.
I agree, but that it not on the manufacturers, it's on the physicians.
Quote:Generally speaking, my interactions with the anti-pharmaceutical crowd are limited to those who've never really needed them. On the other hand, while spending time in my local infusion center I find that those people are overwhelmingly in favor of them.
I'm not against pharma in general. I'm against price gouging at the expense of sick people. I think the companies are important and the market driving their research as well after all that why a medication for my kidney disease came about. I also think some regulations are necessary to reign in unfettered greed.
Quote:Why is that?
It's both because the doctors sometimes over prescribe and the pharma guys push doctors to prescribe things for alternative uses. They reward over prescribing because that makes them more money.