We’re NOT the Criminals

As if things were not already bad enough, October 6, 2014, was certainly a change-game event for those of us unfortunate enough to have some medical condition that causes us chronic pain: the new DEA laws started. In an attempt to weed out the pill pushing pimps (HA!) now hydrocodone is a Schedule II narcotic drug, there are NO refills on pain medications, a new script is required each month. Mandatory random drug tests, only pain management doctors can prescribe our pills. Will the street pain pills be eradicated? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Example: how’s that “war on drugs” i.e., marijuana going? It’s not. Instead we’ve pissed away billions of dollars for what? Is it any more difficult to buy marijuana today than it was 20 years ago? 10? 5? Last year? No, it’s easier. And the quality is better. I’ll tell you one thing: it’s certainly easier to obtain the Schedule I marijuana than the Schedule II pills. And the pills won’t stop being sold on the street. Addiction issues will not end. There will ALWAYS be addicts. I mean, after all, what do we, as society, do with addicts? Do we treat them? No way! We send them to jail, then they’re back on the street. Different day, same story.

But instead society now gets to treat the person with the medical condition – that causes the chronic pain – to be treated like the criminals. Mandatory random drug tests. Wow! Only for us! Not a suspected drug addict, but for those of us with chronic pain (and the condition that causes it, remember that), we ARE treated like criminals, like drug addicts. What happened to reasonable suspicion? Doesn’t apply to the chronic pain. Thanks, doc, that’s $85 for the drug test that my insurance DOESN’T cover of the $270 DRUG TEST! Thanks DEA. Thanks lawmakers. The only thing you’ve succeeded in is pushing more pills on the street.

Guess what? The street’s STILL going to be full of drugs, whatever, whenever, wherever anyone wants. The pills? Will still be there. Wait, there will be MORE! Why?!? Because now that Tramadol is a scheduled narcotic (HA!), those pills will become the newest craze. Beware all those holding prescriptions, now we become new targets for thieves. How do you think the pill pushing pimps obtain the pills to sell on the street? Not the doctors, dummies!

They steal them! Thanks for the targets on our backs. Both literally and figuratively! Treat us like the criminals, make it nearly impossible to obtain the pain relief that our MEDICAL CONDITIONS CAUSE.

You know what ought to be against the law? Mandatory drug tests for people with medical conditions. Land of the free?

Shame on you, America.