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Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#21

Post by [deleted] »

tiffanyh wrote: post #6
spicyusername wrote: post #2

And yet marijuana is still illegal in my state. The impact of legislation like Citizens United and the outsized influence of large institutions on American politics is really unfortunate.

I think you’re conflating things. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. So while yes, it’s “legal” - it’s an extremely controlled narcotic. Said differently, it’s illegal if you’re in position of it and it wasn’t prescribed by a medical doctor. Unlike marijuana that doesn’t need a prescription where it’s allowed.

[deleted]

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#22

Post by MonkeyMalarky »

DrBazza wrote: post #5

Sort-of-related, for Americans reading this, from a Brit, when I watch US TV programmes, the inclusion of drugs (prescription and illegal) in scripts is so matter-of-fact, it's actually shocking. Comparing like-for-like programs (police dramas, hospital dramas, thrillers), the UK version will invariably have entirely different plots. Sure the US != UK, but it's so weird. Isn't the USA the only country other than NZ t…

Does the UK have those bizarrely obtuse not-an-ad-for-prescription ads like in Canada?

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#23

Post by ndsipa_pomu »

323 wrote: post #20

All drugs should be legalized. That is the only solution. You should be able to buy cocaine, heroin, fentanyl at the local grocery store. No question asked. Maybe even subsidize it for poor people who can't afford market prices. The local pharmacy should provide training on how to inject/consume them safely and give for free the associated consumables.

I don't understand why politicians (in the UK) always seem to be scared of legalisation when there's a huge amount of tax that could be generated from it and meanwhile, criminals get all the money and taxpayers have to spend more money trying to catch those criminals.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#24

Post by chownie »

Gordonjcp wrote: post #9

Is this somehow different fentanyl for the stuff that in the UK gets handed out in litre bottles to old ladies with dodgy hips? Because the whole point of fentanyl is the massive therapeutic window and difficulty of overdosing.

Are you thinking of Oramorph? I know a bunch of older ladies who use it because they have nerve pain, it's derivative of poppies/opium so it's morphine rather than fentanyl.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#25

Post by BlargMcLarg »

DrBazza wrote: post #5

Sort-of-related, for Americans reading this, from a Brit, when I watch US TV programmes, the inclusion of drugs (prescription and illegal) in scripts is so matter-of-fact, it's actually shocking. Comparing like-for-like programs (police dramas, hospital dramas, thrillers), the UK version will invariably have entirely different plots. Sure the US != UK, but it's so weird. Isn't the USA the only country other than NZ t…

The US and particularly online cultures seem almost obsessed with drugs and I have a hard time believing it is only due to the taboo aspect of it.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#26

Post by Aicy »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #23
323 wrote: post #20

All drugs should be legalized. That is the only solution. You should be able to buy cocaine, heroin, fentanyl at the local grocery store. No question asked. Maybe even subsidize it for poor people who can't afford market prices. The local pharmacy should provide training on how to inject/consume them safely and give for free the associated consumables.

I don't understand why politicians (in the UK) always seem to be scared of legalisation when there's a huge amount of tax that could be generated from it and meanwhile, criminals get all the money and taxpayers have to spend more money trying to catch those criminals.

Because it would be hugely unpopular with a mostly conservative voter base, and tax revenue is not what wins elections.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#27

Post by MonkeyMalarky »

323 wrote: post #20

All drugs should be legalized. That is the only solution. You should be able to buy cocaine, heroin, fentanyl at the local grocery store. No question asked. Maybe even subsidize it for poor people who can't afford market prices. The local pharmacy should provide training on how to inject/consume them safely and give for free the associated consumables.

But that would upset the teetotalers and puritans. Also if drugs were legal, how would one look down on poor people and blame them for their situation in life on moral failings like addiction?

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#28

Post by lovich »

ffsoftboiled wrote: post #7
tiffanyh wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you’re conflating things. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. So while yes, it’s “legal” - it’s an extremely controlled narcotic. Said differently, it’s illegal if you’re in position of it and it wasn’t prescribed by a medical doctor. Unlike marijuana that doesn’t need a prescription where it’s allowed.

Except marijuana does require a prescription in certain states.

That's separate from the Schedule system which is a Federal system, where it is illegal to have marijuana always. The Biden admin has instructed the DEA to look into rescheduling it and is turning a blind eye to marijuana now, but on the books fentanyl has a legal way to acquire it and marijuana does not from the Federal point of view.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#29

Post by vorpalhex »

323 wrote: post #20

All drugs should be legalized. That is the only solution. You should be able to buy cocaine, heroin, fentanyl at the local grocery store. No question asked. Maybe even subsidize it for poor people who can't afford market prices. The local pharmacy should provide training on how to inject/consume them safely and give for free the associated consumables.

How do you feel that would lead to less deaths given that the deaths from fent are often (but not always) from an intentional dose of fent?

The research here also does not support broad legalization:

+ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24456133/

+ https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2019/06/medical-marij...

Of special note is that opiod deaths increased as legal prescribed opiods were given more freely.

Re: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America

#30

Post by Joker_vD »

MonkeyMalarky wrote: post #27
323 wrote: post #20

All drugs should be legalized. That is the only solution. You should be able to buy cocaine, heroin, fentanyl at the local grocery store. No question asked. Maybe even subsidize it for poor people who can't afford market prices. The local pharmacy should provide training on how to inject/consume them safely and give for free the associated consumables.

But that would upset the teetotalers and puritans. Also if drugs were legal, how would one look down on poor people and blame them for their situation in life on moral failings like addiction?

Alcohol is legal. That doesn't stop people to blame poor people for being lazy drunkards, does it?
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