A sad and disturbing study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows that opioids appear to dull people’s natural parenting instincts. [1]
In recent months, numerous stories have been in the news concerning children who were left alone with parents or caregivers who had overdosed on prescription opioids or heroin.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on October 4th, 2016 that plans to reduce opioid manufacturing by 25% next year are underway, citing a shrinking market and the epidemic of abuse as primary reasons.
The official change, or Final Order, has been published in the Federal Register. And, as The Verge reports:
On October 12, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said in a notice to be published in the Federal Register that it has formally withdrawn plans to ban kratom, an herb used by many as a natural medicine.
In August, the DEA outlined plans to classify mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, two active compounds in kratom, as Schedule I substances, alongside heroin, LSD, and (inexplicably) marijuana.
A study published on September 15 shows that in states where medical marijuana is legal, fewer people use opioid drugs, bolstering advocates’ claims that marijuana can substitute for more deadly substances. [1]
Researchers examined federal traffic safety data from 1999 to 2013, using a sample of more than 68,000 people who died in a car crash in 18 states.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced earlier this month that the agency is launching a contest to create the best app designed to reduce the number of people who die every year from overdosing on opioid painkillers.
In just over a week, the herbal supplement kratom will be listed as a Schedule I as seen on the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. This is due to the fact that the capsules contain mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, 2 substances which although are naturally occurring in the plant, are now classified as harmful by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Big Pharma loves Big Government.
A leading group of pediatricians said in a statement published September 19 that codeine is not safe for children and should not be used to relieve pain or coughs. [1]
The guidance nearly mirrors a January 2016 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning that codeine should not be given to children and most teens.
(ANTIMEDIA) On April 1st, I made a prediction about kratom on Facebook.
Man, do I hate being right. As of last week, according to the DEA, kratom will be categorized as a Schedule 1 drug.
Most people don’t even know what kratom is, so I didn’t expect much of a reaction to my original prediction. Even the clerks at local apothecaries doubted me. One herbalist said to me, “Nah man, they’ve been saying that for years. It’ll never happen.”
(ANTIMEDIA) A report released recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows one in every 20 Americans misused prescription painkillers last year. This discovery is particularly relevant because the drug war, combined with changes to U.S. health care law, may have helped exacerbate the so-called opioid epidemic.
