3 ms·
If you're given a 10 day supply of opioids, you probably have a much worse problem than someone who is given a 3 day supply of opioids. The 1 in 5 that are stil
by fragsworth 10y ago
If you're given a 10 day supply of opioids, you probably have a much worse problem than someone who is given a 3 day supply of opioids. The 1 in 5 that are still taking opioids a year later probably had a long-term problem that caused significant, chronic pain.
Looking at the study, they didn't adjust for this at all. Also, keep in mind: 1 in 5 are continued on prescriptions, which are given by doctors who assessed the situation and thought it was OK to continue it. It's NOT saying that 20% of people who try opiates for 10 days become hopelessly addicted, which the clickbaity headline implies.
- smsm42 10y agoWanted to leave the same comment and found a few here saying the same. It is surprising how such an obvious objection has not been addressed - unless they expected most of the readers to miss it, which is then very sad. The deaths figure - 91 per day or about 33K per year - seems to be the deaths of all opioids (including heroin abuse, etc.) and not the prescription opioids, which are half that: https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/o... Moreover, prescription deaths are relatively stable for last 6 years (though lower before that) while heroin deaths are raising quickly.
- sergior 10y agoThe study obviously has an agenda.
- empath75 10y agoI was given at least a 10 day supply of opioids after laproscopic surgery even after I told them I wasn't in a lot of pain and didn't even really want them. I stopped taking them after 4 days and still almost have a full bottle left. They asked me if I had an opioid problem when I told them I didn't want them. Didn't ask me prior to that.