Viewpoints: To Solve Opioid Epidemic, Stop Expecting To Eradicate Pain; End The Stigma Around Addiction

Seattle Times: Health-Care System Needs Reboot To Solve Pain And Opioid Crises
America’s problematic health-care system must share some of the blame for its opioid and pain crises. The twinned problems of improperly treated pain and overused opioids require a transformation in management strategies to facilitate better ownership by patients themselves of their pain and overall well-being, and lead to less reliance on passive handouts from doctors, especially when those handouts consist only of risky drugs. We have prescribed so many opioids that the mussels in Puget Sound contain detectable levels of oxycodone. And it is not an opioid problem alone: Many municipal water supplies are contaminated with traces of antibiotics, hormones, antidepressants and most major drug classes. This situation cries out for the inclusion of effective, evidence-based nonpharmacologic treatments that offer significant benefits when used as an integral part of comprehensive pain treatment. (Heather Tick and Jane Ballantyne, 6/17)

The Hill: Stop Labeling Babies As 'Born Addicted' — It Stigmatizes Them And Is Inaccurate
On June 12, 2018, the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid, passed the Helping to End Addiction and Lessen (HEAL) Substance Use Disorder Act. As U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) explains on his web site, this act will be included as part of an opioid-related package of bills that are aimed at combating substance use disorder. It is essential to provide patients of all ages with access to affordable treatment for opioid addiction and withdrawal without prejudice. That is a key to preventing overdoses and to helping patients escape the grip of the destructive disease. Destigmatizing the disease of addiction is important, because stigma contributes to cultural attitudes that make it difficult for people with the disease of addiction to seek treatment. The fear of judgment and untoward consequences inhibit some of those who would otherwise ask for help. (Lynn Webster, 6/19)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: How About Harm Reduction For The Poor?
As the opioid epidemic has progressed, the policy of harm reduction – strategies to reduce the harm of drugs rather than demonizing the users — has been at the center of debates about how to address the crisis. We wish that lawmakers would start applying the concept of harm reduction to their approach to their low-income constituents. (6/19)

The Hill: PTSD Awareness Month — An Average Of 20 Veterans Per Day Commit Suicide
In the wake of the suicides of celebrity designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain nearly two weeks ago, there was an outpouring of news stories, tweets and hashtags regarding suicide awareness. Most often, the crux of these messages was to encourage those with suicidal thoughts to seek help, and included the sharing of information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and website. ...However, with June being PTSD awareness month, it is also an important reminder that suicide awareness and prevention require a year-round focus from the media and the public in order to prevent future tragedies. (Rory E. Riley-Topping, 6/19)

USA Today: Make Schools As Safe As Congress When It Comes To Preventing Shootings
As I go to work at the U.S. Capitol, I pass vehicle barricades, armed guards, metal detectors and police dogs. Yet, while my colleagues and I go to work every day without any fear of attacks, our teachers and students go to school hoping that nothing happens to them. It’s embarrassing and unacceptable. If we as government officials can protect ourselves, we can do the same for our students. (Rep. Lou Barletta, 6/18)

The New York Times: Actually, I’m Not Fine
My stepfather’s voice came loud and clear over the whir of the wood splitter he was working 50 feet away. “What in the hell is all that wailing?” Only a moment before, I’d run into a rock with my bike and been tossed to the ground. I let out a shriek as I landed on the sharp gravel of the driveway. Splayed out on the stones now, I could hear the irritation in his voice. It was a Saturday; he had wood to stack for the long Northern New York winter ahead. (Sunny Fitzgerald, 6/18)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Staggering Lack Of Information About Foster Kids Could Have Devastating Consequences
If we can save our caseworkers’ time and provide more efficient ways to record and share data, our children will be better served and turnover may decline. The cost to develop this tool may be high – but the cost of missing key information and poorly servicing our children is infinitely higher. (Samuel Heidorn, 6/18)

Los Angeles Times: Coffee Isn't Going To Kill Anyone. California Needs A Smarter System To Let Us Know What's Dangerous
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu M. Berle ruled in March that coffee should carry the warning labels mandated by California’s Proposition 65 because the brew contains acrylamide, a chemical that some studies found increases the incidence of cancer in rats. It was an unfortunate outcome of a ridiculous lawsuit by an opportunistic attorney that never should have been filed. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical formed when coffee is roasted (and when starchy foods such as potatoes are cooked at high heat). But the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which reviewed 1,000 studies, reported last week that there is just no proof that coffee causes cancer. Furthermore, there’s a wealth of scientific data indicating that coffee consumption has health benefits and may even ward off premature death, perhaps because of the other chemicals present in the average cup of joe. (6/18)

San Francisco Chronicle: What’s Ignored In The Debate Over Aid In Dying
The controversial 2015 legalization of medical aid in dying was in effect for almost two years before it was ruled unconstitutional on May 25 by Riverside County Superior Court Judge Daniel A. Ottolia. Friday’s reinstatement of the law, while the appeals process plays out, is another twist in the increasingly dramatic fight that goes to the core of what Californians want when it comes to choices at the end of life. (Nutik Zitter, 6/18)