Why The Federal Drug Administration Is Responsible For The Growing Heroin Epidemic

by … Chuck Pithy

The dirty little secret that this administration is refusing to address is the growing Heroin Epidemic we are now facing in cities both large and small across our nation.  I will explain my reasoning for the statement I am making in the next few paragraphs.

First off, there was a wonderful drug for treatment of chronic pain called Oxycotin.  This drug was a life changer for many people who suffered chronic pain. including but not limited to cancer patients, people with inoperable back issues, veterans with severe war injuries and many others.  Like many opiates it comes with the downside of addiction and abuse. 

In 2010, Perdue Farma, which was the maker of Oxycotin, was ordered to change its formula so that it could not be crushed and snorted for a quick high ( see article Oxycotin users switching to Heroin after drug is redesigned)

While the reformulation was successful in limiting the crushing of the pills for the quick high, its effectiveness was diminished by legitimate patients with chronic pain and many suffered severe gastro-intestinal issues from the new formula.

Our government responded to the Oxycotin addition issue in much the same way they do to gun violence issues, blaming the gun or in this case Oxycotin, for the addiction issues.  Somehow the FDA decided that if the Oxycotin could not be crushed that those people with addictions would just stop trying to get high.  Once those who snorted Oxycotin could not get the high they needed they started migrating to Heroin use.

Now I am not condoning the use of Oxycotin to get high, however if someone is going to abuse a drug it is certainly safer to abuse an FDA approved drug than one purchased on the street.  Furthermore, once the Oxycotin users switched to Heroin they soon found that snorting the Heroin was not good enough. Thus there next step was to start injecting it.  Because the needles are often being shared, Hepatitis and Aids will start showing an increase, further endangering our country.  Thanks to the FDA, one addiction with risk was traded for an addiction with even more severe risks.  Sadly legitimate pain patients are the ones who also suffer the consequences. 

When our government reacts in this way, it should be alarming to all of us.  The government instead of solving one problem has created two problems.  One is an increase in Heroin use and the second is legitimate pain patients being denied an effect treatment. This is yet another reason why we cannot trust our government to make decisions regarding our health care as they will with Obamacare.

I am Chuck Pithy and I tell it like it is!!