tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post4288708967718201905..comments2024-03-28T02:29:13.507-07:00Comments on Legal Ruralism: The state of the opiate epidemic in rural AmericaLisa R. Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16469550950363542801noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-91518223842929313412020-04-29T12:08:33.023-07:002020-04-29T12:08:33.023-07:00Developing an addiction to drugs isn’t a character...Developing an addiction to drugs isn’t a character flaw or a sign of weakness, and it takes more than willpower to overcome the problem. Abusing illegal or certain prescription drugs can create changes in the brain, causing powerful cravings and a compulsion to use that makes sobriety seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your situation seems or how many times you’ve tried and failed before. With the right treatment and support, change is possible.<br /><br />For many people struggling with addiction, the toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: recognizing that you have a problem and deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel uncertain about whether you’re ready to start recovery, or if you have what it takes to quit. If you’re addicted to a prescription drug, you may be concerned about how you’re going to find an alternate way to treat a medical condition. It’s okay to feel torn. Committing to sobriety involves changing many things, including:<br /><br />the way you deal with stress<br />who you allow in your life<br />what you do in your free time<br />how you think about yourself<br />the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take<br /><br />It’s also normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you know it’s causing problems in your life. Recovery requires time, motivation, and support, but by making a commitment to change, you can overcome your addiction and regain control of your life.علاج الادمان في المنزلhttps://www.hopeeg.com/services/treatment-programs/at-homenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-47491288416207780892017-02-12T20:17:41.564-08:002017-02-12T20:17:41.564-08:00The response by some rural prosecutors to the opio...The response by some rural prosecutors to the opioid epidemic seems reminiscent of a "War on Drugs" mentality. The War on Drugs called for tougher laws and mandatory minimums for drug offenses, with funding directed at arresting and prosecuting drug dealers and users, while little was done to address prevention and treatment. It is sad to read about rural counties who are taking this approach, since we know that treating this problem solely as a legal issue, without addressing the underlying addiction, is a strategy that will ultimately fail. <br /><br />In my research, I stumbled across one example of a rural judge who is responding to the opioid problem in his jurisdiction by sending users to a treatment program, instead of treating them like criminals. This judge chose to create a drug court program and provides access to treatment for free, as a result of grant funding. It is a good example of rural areas can start to address these issues in a different way. http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/crime/2017/01/27/rural-judge-admits-being-caught-unaware-opiates-power/97149786/<br />K. Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10279354119401616344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-82070309012593542982017-02-12T20:10:25.806-08:002017-02-12T20:10:25.806-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.K. Harringtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10279354119401616344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-77460233680238242092017-02-12T12:27:09.459-08:002017-02-12T12:27:09.459-08:00I found this to be a really interesting, if harrow...I found this to be a really interesting, if harrowing, article. In high school I knew several acquaintances who passed away from a pain killer overdose, so this issue feels very close to me. I fear that without a concerted effort to combat the issue we are going to see the problem spiral out of control. <br /><br />I think another aspect of this issue is the monetary cost of the crisis on local communities. Jailing people is very expensive, and the loss of workforce productivity just adds to that cost. The collateral consequences of having a record can make it even more difficult for someone to find employment or housing, resulting in an increased need for public benefits programs. And this is without even mentioning the ineffectiveness of jailing addicts, and how jails become revolving doors for people suffering from addiction. Kaly https://www.blogger.com/profile/10268476786225453811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-46161888886923560372017-02-11T21:24:39.503-08:002017-02-11T21:24:39.503-08:00Willie, I appreciate your discussion here of the d...Willie, I appreciate your discussion here of the different lenses through which the opioid problem can be viewed — i.e., legal versus public health — because it really highlights how much framing matters. This it true for most problems, several of which are currently under discussion on this blog (see, e.g., Jenna's post on the issue of gun control: http://legalruralism.blogspot.com/2017/01/rural-children-and-guns-part-one-basics.html. For a long time, firearm violence was treated strictly as a social or policy issue, rather than a public health issue. See: http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122535.). <br /><br />This post also hit me hard because opioid abuse is an especially virulent problem in parts of my home state. NPR has been running a series of really interesting articles on the problem lately, and one of them raised an interesting point that I think aligns nicely with Lisa Pruitt's "deaths of despair" analysis. In discussing the opioid impact in rural communities, the journalist notes: "Plus, the specific types of jobs more prevalent in rural areas — like manufacturing, farming and mining — tend to have higher injury rates. That can lead to more pain, and possibly, to more painkillers." <br /><br />Given the "confluence of factors" working against rural communities with respect to drug abuse (e.g., economic hardship, lack of appropriate addiction and treatment resources, increased likelihood of sustaining an injury requiring painkillers, and social factors like the kinship networks mentioned above," it's hard to believe that even the more close-minded politicians would consider a tough-on-crime approach sufficient. Thank you for this thoughtful post.<br /><br />Interesting NPR posts:<br /><br />* http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/12/15/505710073/drug-dealer-md-contends-that-well-meaning-docs-drove-the-opioid-epidemic<br />* http://www.npr.org/2016/05/10/477449821/as-opiod-crisis-escalates-missouri-is-without-monitoring-database<br />* http://www.npr.org/2016/05/10/477449821/as-opiod-crisis-escalates-missouri-is-without-monitoring-database<br />* http://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513196772/u-s-city-sues-oxycontin-maker-for-contributing-to-opiod-crisis<br /><br />and the article I quoted from above re: rural Colorado:<br /><br />* http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/01/23/511217396/rural-colorados-opioid-connections-might-hold-clues-to-better-treatmentWynter K Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10825975028818885821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7171420941776673660.post-79282451372217225442017-02-11T18:46:49.234-08:002017-02-11T18:46:49.234-08:00Thank you for this commentary on opioid use in rur...Thank you for this commentary on opioid use in rural areas. I have not been very in tune with the reasons why rural areas are disproportionately affected, so this post was particularly informative for me. The issue seems so closely tied with access to health care, which I was not aware of.<br /><br />There is a trend in some of the main challenges seen in rural communities where access to a resource is difficult, so solutions are put in place, and then the community is hurt because those "solutions" cause some other larger problem. Another example of this is the use of laymen as judges in rural Upstate NY courts. There is a scarcity of lawyers and judges who want to work in those areas, so the counties put together bare bones trainings and then allow any person off the street who needs a job. This has turned into something other than real justice. I digress. Healthcare resources are scarce, whether it be physical therapy or rehabilitation.<br /><br />Another trend I notice is that whether it be opioids in rurality or crack in the city, law enforcement always finds a way to blame the people who get addicted instead of trying to help rid communities of the problem. This is a shameful approach to drug addictions and in my view, it needs to change before we see real amelioration of the problem.RGLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15559091608769473138noreply@blogger.com