> Being tarred with the same brush as addicts is quite offensive
Actually, that attitude itself is offensive. Addiction is a serious mental health problem, and should not be stigmatized.
Actually, that attitude itself is offensive. Addiction is a serious mental health problem, and should not be stigmatized.
Simply down voting people because you disagree with them isn't cool IMO.
edit: Myself (and many others) have also been stigmatised from getting the correct medication because of a fear becoming addicts.
Downvote to disagree is going to happen; it's not forbidden on HN (PG has a post somewhere talking about the acceptability of using downvote to disagree) although there are a large number of people who strongly dislike downvote to disagree.
No. For most people with long term pain opiate meds are the wrong choice. Those people need rapid access to specialist pain clinics; cbt for pain; short term pain meds to enable them to take part in physiotherapist guided exercise; and possibly weightloss.
Opiate pain meds for long term use are not effective for most people; and are addictive. It is wrong to give someone a med that won't work and that has side effects and that carries a risk of addiction when there are less risky, non-addicting, better solutions to try first.