Calmare Therapeutics Inc (fka CTTC)

[Vaffan-Coulo]

"If they want to stop the narcotics, stop the doctors who prescribe them to people who don't need them."???

Can't agree. Someone complains of pain -- how would you decide whether they're lying or not? There can be pain with no obvious abnormality and you can't give a lie detector test.

No, the first thing you do is get rid of oxycodone or mix something with it to prevent grinding up and injecting/snorting it. Before that was introduced, abuse of simpler opioids like hydrocodone wasn't viewed as a significant problem.

But MOST important is use what is already available. I think every state now has a central agency that records when and to whom prescriptions are written. Simply use that to track down patients who may be abusing opioids and limit as necessary. It can also be used to track those who may be abusing the system by selling the drugs and those people should be managed by law enforcement.

Making it so a doctor can't call in a prescription or so a patient can't get a refill will likely do near absolute zero except maybe make toxic "homebrew" drugs more attractive to abusers.