How the War on Drugs Has Caused More
Harm Than Good
April 07, 2016
Story at-a-glance
-
The war on (illicit) drugs, which exacts
particularly harsh punishment for minor marijuana
offenses, has proven itself a miserable failure that
actually contributes to the current drug abuse
epidemic
-
A report by Johns Hopkins-Lancet Commission on Drug
Policy and Health states the war on drugs is harming
public health, and urges governments around the
world to decriminalize minor, non-violent drug
offenses
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Prescriptions for opioids have risen by 300 percent
over the past 10 years, and have fueled a whole new
heroin epidemic. Medical marijuana is an effective,
non-toxic alternative to highly addictive and
dangerous opioids
By Dr. Mercola
Prescriptions for opioids have risen by 300 percent over the past
10 years — a trend that has fueled, if not created a whole new
heroin epidemic.1
Americans use the most opioids of any nation — twice the amount used
by Canadians, who come in second place in terms of prescriptions.
So many Americans are on opioids, there's now a huge market for
drugs to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC). A major TV spot
for OIC even ran during the televising of the 2016 Super Bowl.2
Meanwhile, the war on (illicit) drugs, which exacts particularly
harsh punishment for minor marijuana offenses, has proven itself a
miserable failure that actually contributes to the current drug
abuse epidemic.
Medical Experts Warn: War on Drugs Is Harming Public Health
According to a recent report3,4
by the Johns Hopkins-Lancet Commission on Drug Policy and Health,
the war on drugs is harming public health, and governments around
the world would be wise to decriminalize minor, non-violent drug
offenses.
In countries that have already done so, such as Portugal and the
Czech Republic, a number of benefits have been noted, including cost
savings, and contrary to popular belief, decriminalization has
not led to a rise in drug use. As reported by Reuters:5
"The U.N. General Assembly holds a special session on
drugs [in April] at which it will reconsider the global approach
to illicit drugs for the first time since 1998.
The decades-long strategy of outlawing drugs and jailing
users, while battling cartels that control the trade, has come
under increasing fire from critics in recent years.
The report's authors called instead for an evidence-based
approach, focused on reducing harm by minimizing both the
violence associated with drugs and the health risks, such as the
transmission of HIV and hepatitis through shared needles."
The Cost of Criminalizing Marijuana
A 2014 article in The New York Times6
specifically addressed the high cost of criminalizing marijuana use,
noting:
"The toll can be measured in dollars — billions of which
are thrown away each year in the aggressive enforcement of
pointless laws. It can be measured in years — whether wasted
behind bars or stolen from a child who grows up fatherless.
And it can be measured in lives — those damaged if not
destroyed by the shockingly harsh consequences that can follow
even the most minor offenses ... Outrageously long sentences are
only part of the story.
The hundreds of thousands of people who are arrested each
year but do not go to jail also suffer; their arrests stay on
their records for years, crippling their prospects for jobs,
loans, housing and benefits."
In the city of New York, less than 800 arrests were made for
marijuana offenses in 1991. In 2010, that number had skyrocketed to
59,000. Across the U.S., more than 8.2 million marijuana-related
arrests were made between 2001 and 2010, and about 90 percent of
those were for possession alone, not distribution.
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and
non-violent marijuana offenses make up a great chunk of that. It's
really sad to think we have more inmates than farmers here in the
Land of the Free, in large part thanks to the overzealous
criminalization of weed.
The cost of enforcing marijuana possession laws costs more than
$3.6 billion each year, and the payoff is minimal at best when it
comes to reducing crime. As noted in the featured article:
"According to a 2012 Human Rights Watch report7
that tracked 30,000 New Yorkers with no prior convictions when
they were arrested for marijuana possession, 90 percent had no
subsequent felony convictions. Only 3.1 percent committed a
violent offense."
Decriminalizing Marijuana Might Significantly Reduce Opioid Deaths
The war on marijuana is even more nonsensical when viewed from a
public health standpoint.
Medical marijuana has been shown to have a number of health
benefits, including pain management, and its safety profile exceeds
opioid painkillers by leaps and bounds.
In fact, experts agree it's virtually impossible to die from a
marijuana overdose. One 2014 investigation found that in states
where medical marijuana was legalized, deaths from opioid overdoses
dropped by 25 percent.8
The shift was also very rapid, becoming evident within the first
year of legalization.
Ironically, the U.S. federal government treats cannabis as it
does heroin, LSD and ecstasy. They're all schedule 1 drugs — a
highly addictive class of drugs said to have no medicinal value.
Meanwhile, opioid drugs like Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet,
codeine, and Fentora are perfectly legal despite being molecularly
very similar to heroin, with a high risk for addiction.9
Even the U.S. Justice Department admits that, along with heroin,
prescription opiates are the most lethal substances available, yet
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved OxyContin
for children as young as 11.10
Chronic pain is the primary reason for America's opioid problem,
and shifting over to less dangerous forms of pain relief, such as
medical marijuana, could potentially save thousands of lives each
year.
In one survey, more than 85 percent of patients at a medical
marijuana clinic in Michigan used it to treat chronic pain. There's
also evidence to suggest medical marijuana can help wean patients
off opioids.11
As previously noted by Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil in an article for Dr.
Oz:12
"Marijuana works on some of the same areas of the brain
as opioids — those that perceive pain. The active ingredients
may help cancer-related pain. They can also be helpful in some
pain related to multiple sclerosis and in HIV and AIDS. "
Will New Draft Guidance and Warning Labels Deter Opioid Abuse?
The FDA, meanwhile, is focusing its efforts on getting drug
manufacturers to develop generic pain medications that are more
difficult to abuse, so-called "abuse-deterrent formulations."13
The agency has also announced that immediate-release (IR) opioid
painkillers will require a new warning label informing patients
about the risk of abuse and addiction, similar to that of
slow-release formulas.14
Additionally, the label must warn women that chronic use of IR
opioids during pregnancy can result in neonatal opioid withdrawal
syndrome (NOWS) — a potentially life-threatening condition that must
be quickly diagnosed and treated. All opioids, both immediate- and
slow-release formulas, must also include a warning about:
- Potentially harmful drug interactions that can result in
serotonin syndrome — a serious central nervous system condition
- Potential effects on your endocrine system, including
adrenal insufficiency, and androgen deficiency (decreased levels
of sex hormones)
'Sea Change' in Public Opinion About Punishment for Drug Offenses
On the whole, pushing for more abuse-deterrent generics is a
ridiculous response to the opioid crisis, and more detailed warning
labels can only go so far. To make a dent, doctors really need to
stop prescribing them so freely, and non-toxic alternatives like
medical marijuana need to be made available instead.
Indeed, a recent poll shows Americans place a great deal of blame
on doctors for the current opioid addiction phenomenon, and agree
prescription guidelines need to be tightened. As noted by STAT:15
"Seven in 10 Americans support two key elements of the
guidelines: advising doctors to give patients no more than a
three-day supply of opioid painkillers to treat most cases of
acute pain, and trying other treatment options first before
prescribing opioids for chronic pain... [G]rowing familiarity
with the prescription-drug abuse problem is perhaps one reason
Americans overwhelmingly favor sending addicts to treatment
rather than jail.
The poll found that 84 percent thought that people caught
with small amounts of painkillers obtained without a
prescription should be directed to treatment programs; only 8
percent said jail. The preference for treatment was also high
for people possessing small amounts of heroin (80 percent) and
crack cocaine (74 percent).
Blendon, the Harvard professor, described this sentiment
as a ‘sea change’ from the ‘Just Say No’ days of the Reagan
administration. ‘We have completely shifted here to a
treatment-prevention strategy,’ he said. ‘This is huge.’”
Meditation and Yoga for Back Pain
Chronic back pain is one of the leading causes for long-term
opioid use, so if you struggle with back pain, you need to realize
you're in a high risk group for drug abuse and overdose death. If
you struggle with back pain, you'd be wise to exhaust your options
before resorting to pain medication. Meditation and yoga are just
two potential avenues that might provide some relief.
Research16
shows a combination of yoga and meditation is as effective as
cognitive behavioral therapy, and can be more effective
than taking an over-the-counter pain reliever. Cognitive behavioral
therapy teaches you relaxation techniques, with a focus on changing
how you think about your pain.
In an eight-week-long study in which these two approaches were
compared, 47 percent of those in the yoga/meditation group reported
less disabling pain in their back, compared to 52 percent in the
cognitive behavioral therapy group.
Interestingly, in the third group, where treatment focused on
pain medication, only 35 percent of participants reported
improvement. Moreover, one year later, 68 percent of people who took
part in the mindfulness meditation training reported improvements in
their pain, as did 59 percent of those in the cognitive behavioral
therapy group. In the pain meds control group, 49 percent reported
improvement in their pain one year later.
Other Non-Drug Alternatives for Pain Relief
Besides yoga and meditation, here are a number of other non-drug
alternatives for the treatment of pain. I strongly recommend trying
these first, before resorting to prescription painkillers
of any kind.
Medical cannabis |
Medical cannabis has a long history as a natural
analgesic17
At present, 20 U.S. states have legalized cannabis for
medical purposes.
Its medicinal qualities are due to high amounts (about 10 to
20 percent) of cannabidiol (CBD), medicinal terpenes, and
flavonoids.
As discussed in this
previous article, varieties of cannabis exist that are
very low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the psychoactive
component of marijuana that makes you feel "stoned" — and
high in medicinal CBD.
The Journal of Pain,18
a publication by the American Pain Society, has a long list
of studies on the pain-relieving effects of cannabis and
would certainly seem worth the effort for anyone with
chronic pain to utilize.
Just be sure to seek out a knowledgeable cannabis physician,
as many have no idea of the proper dosing.
If you are seriously considering medical cannabis for pain,
it is imperative that you view my interview with Dr. Allan
Frankel in this
previous article, who is one of the leading medical
cannabis physicians in the U.S.
He can do consultations on the phone if you need specific
questions answered. |
Eat real food, and eliminate or radically reduce
processed foods |
Avoiding processed grains and refined sugars
(particularly fructose) will lower your insulin and leptin
levels and decrease insulin and leptin resistance, which is
one of the most important reasons why inflammatory
prostaglandins are produced.
That is
why stopping sugar and sweets is so important to
controlling your pain and other types of chronic illnesses.
|
Take a high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fat |
My personal favorite is krill oil.
Omega-3 fats are precursors to mediators of inflammation
called prostaglandins. (In fact, that is how
anti-inflammatory painkillers work, they manipulate
prostaglandins.) |
Optimize your vitamin D level |
Optimizing your
vitamin D level by getting regular, appropriate sun
exposure and taking a vitamin D3 supplement can help reduce
pain via a variety of different mechanisms. |
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) |
EFT is a drug-free approach for pain management of all
kinds. It borrows from the principles of acupuncture, in
that it helps you balance out your subtle energy system.
It helps resolve underlying, often subconscious, negative
emotions that may be exacerbating your physical pain.
By stimulating (tapping) well-established acupuncture points
with your fingertips, you rebalance your energy system,
which tends to dissipate pain. |
K-Laser Class 4 Laser Therapy |
K-Laser therapy can be an excellent choice for many
painful conditions, including acute injuries. By addressing
the underlying cause of the pain, you will no longer need to
rely on painkillers.
K-Laser is a class 4 infrared laser therapy treatment that
helps reduce pain, reduce inflammation, and enhance tissue
healing — both in hard and soft tissues, including muscles,
ligaments, or even bones.
The infrared wavelengths used in the K-Laser allow for
targeting specific areas of your body, and can penetrate
deeply into the body to reach areas such as your spine and
hip.
For more information about this groundbreaking technology,
and how it can help heal chronic pain, please listen to my
previous interview
with Dr. Harrington. |
Avoid sitting down |
One of the most common causes of pain is low back pain.
Even I struggled with it for many years.
The only thing that eliminated it, yes entirely 100 percent
gone, was radically reducing the number of hours of sitting
from 15 hours a day to less than one. |
Chiropractic |
Many studies have confirmed that chiropractic management
is much safer and less expensive than allopathic medical
treatments, especially when used for back pain.
Qualified chiropractic, osteopathic, and naturopathic
physicians are reliable, as they have received extensive
training in the management of musculoskeletal disorders
during their course of graduate healthcare training, which
lasts between four to six years.
These health experts have comprehensive training in
musculoskeletal management. |
Acupuncture |
Research has discovered a "clear and robust" effect of
acupuncture in the treatment of: back, neck and shoulder
pain,
osteoarthritis, and headaches. |
Physical therapy and massage therapy
|
Both have been shown to be effective for painful
conditions such as torn cartilage and arthritis. |
Astaxanthin |
Astaxanthin is one of the most effective fat-soluble
antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory
properties, and in many cases works far more effectively
than anti-inflammatory drugs.
Higher doses are typically required and you may need 8 mg or
more per day to achieve this benefit. |
Ginger |
This herb has potent anti-inflammatory activity and
offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh
ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or
grated into vegetable juice. |
Curcumin |
In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added
200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced
pain and increased mobility.
A past study also found that a turmeric extract composed of
curcuminoids blocked inflammatory pathways, effectively
preventing the overproduction of a protein that triggers
swelling and pain.19 |
Boswellia |
Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this
herb contains specific active anti-inflammatory ingredients.
This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work
well with many
rheumatoid arthritis patients. |
Bromelain |
This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural
anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form but
eating fresh pineapple, including some of the bromelain-rich
stem, may also be helpful. |
Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO) |
This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a
"joint lubricant" and an anti-inflammatory.
I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a
mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I
type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical
preparation for this. |
Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils
|
These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic
acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain. |
Cayenne Cream |
Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried
hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body's
supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells
that transmits pain signals to your brain. |
Mind-body techniques
|
Methods such as
Foundation Training, massage, hot and cold packs, and
other mind-body techniques can also result in astonishing
pain relief without drugs. |
Grounding |
Grounding, or
walking barefoot on the earth, may also provide a
certain measure of pain relief by combating inflammation.
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