Preparing for Election Season The United States is approaching a new election season. Most people are aware of the opioid crisis and the imperative to solve it. As voters, we are tasked with choosing the people who can make a positive difference. Now is the time to evaluate the ability of each candidate’s potential…
Alternative Pain Treatments Most doctors want to help people in pain. Ideally, the care would be provided in such a way that there would be little or no risk to our patients. If we could wave a magic wand (or don an enchanted stethoscope), we would be happy to replace opioids with alternative, non-pharmacologic treatments.…
Energy Drinks and Subsequent Drug Abuse A study by the Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health, found a correlation between energy drink consumption and subsequent drug use during young adulthood. Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the research showed, “The typical…
Opioids Affect the Workplace The headline of a story on the social network site, LinkedIn, reads, “The opioid crisis is creating a fresh hell for America’s employers.” The story talks about how deeply prescription and illicit painkillers, including fentanyl, have affected the workplace. At an Ohio-based pottery company, the owner no longer requires applicants to…
Sports are central to American culture; they teach kids the concepts of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. Each sport has its own risks for specific injuries, but football is particularly dangerous because it can cause extensive damage to the brain. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that…
The Consequences of Playing Football I grew up in Nebraska where participation in sports was at the core of a young person’s social, educational, and physical development. It was how we learned important lessons about winning, losing, and being part of a team. Football was a big part of our culture, but it was even…
Marketing Chocolate as a Drug “Holy mesolimbic dopamine system Batman!” commented a user called “Sceptical Cat” regarding a Washington Post story. “You can now snort chocolate — but should you?” Sceptical Cat points out that we tend to associate snorting with illicit substances such as cocaine that have rewarding, and potentially lethal, consequences. The Washington…
Challenge to Stay Optimistic It’s easy to become jaded. As a physician, I have spent decades dealing with sickness. I have cared for people with intractable pain and addiction. I have witnessed their pain, and I have seen them suffer stigma, judgment, and rejection because of their disease. I’ve watched policymakers motivated by political concerns…
Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Mission Congresswoman Barbara Lee is the U.S. Representative for California’s 13th congressional district. She spent 10 years working to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). On June 29, 2017, “In a surprise move, the House Appropriations Committee approved bill language to end the 2001 authorization of the use…
The realization that you will have chronic pain for the rest of your life is life-altering. Now imagine that the pain you are feeling can be lessened with a prescription that your doctor won’t prescribe and your pharmacy won’t dispense. Produced by Dr. Lynn R. Webster and Craig Wirth, The Painful Truth Documentary examines the agony that…
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