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I can't remember the exact stats but something like 5% of doctors were writing 75% of the sales for these products. It isn't that they lead to abuse, it is tha

I can't remember the exact stats but something like 5% of doctors were writing 75% of the sales for these products. It isn't that they lead to abuse, it is that people who are using heroin will abuse them, and will go to doctors who facilitate that.

wlesieutre 2y ago
Dentists were handing opioid prescriptions out like candy to teenagers getting their wisdom teeth out. How many of those kids were previously on heroin and were picking dentists who would hook them up? It's a massively common procedure and defaulting to "here's some addictive painkillers just in case you want them" was an insane thing to do, even if only 1% of cases turn out badly.
- zoklet-enjoyer 2y ago
  I got my wisdom teeth out at 16 or 17 and was given a prescription for oxycodone. I was really excited because I had read about oxy online and wanted to try it. But also I knew it was referred to as hillbilly heroin because of how addictive it was, so I had to be careful. I didn't take any of the oxy after the surgery and just took ibuprofen, so I could save the oxy for later on. I got high off it a few times and loved it. Later on I got a chance to try some hydrocodone and I thought that was even better, because the oxycodone was a little too much for me. I didn't nod off on the hydros. Anyway, opiates are great, that's why I haven't used them since high school.
- nielsbot 2y ago
  Exact same thing happened to me. I got my wisdom teeth pulled and the guy prescribed me Percocet. Interesting experience was signing a form in triplicate (white copy me, yellow copy walgreens, pink copy DEA) to pick it up. Never took any.
  - nradov 2y ago
    Same thing happened to me in 2007. In retrospect it seems crazy.
    - confidantlake 2y ago
      Same thing, same year. Got an entire bottle of strong painkillers and didn't need/take any of them.
Spooky23 2y ago
You have it exactly backwards. People got hooked by the doctors, and pivoted to heroin when they were tagged as pill seekers. I had a spinal fusion in my early 20s. I was discharged from the hospital with a script for 90 days of opioid painkillers, 3x a day. $10 copay… I took like 4-5 and was done. I had a extensive support network between my lovely wife and family… people who do not develop a opioid problem like 60% of the time. The standard of care changed because of Perdue. Dentists were handing out 30 day scripts, people were getting opioids for minor ortho issues, etc. As abuse became more prevalent, sourcing prescription pills got expensive. Heroin was more available and cheaper - the use of this stuff became way broader than the stereotype of hypes selling plasma, etc.

wlesieutre 2y ago

Dentists were handing opioid prescriptions out like candy to teenagers getting their wisdom teeth out. How many of those kids were previously on heroin and were picking dentists who would hook them up? It's a massively common procedure and defaulting to "here's some addictive painkillers just in case you want them" was an insane thing to do, even if only 1% of cases turn out badly.

zoklet-enjoyer 2y ago
I got my wisdom teeth out at 16 or 17 and was given a prescription for oxycodone. I was really excited because I had read about oxy online and wanted to try it. But also I knew it was referred to as hillbilly heroin because of how addictive it was, so I had to be careful. I didn't take any of the oxy after the surgery and just took ibuprofen, so I could save the oxy for later on. I got high off it a few times and loved it. Later on I got a chance to try some hydrocodone and I thought that was even better, because the oxycodone was a little too much for me. I didn't nod off on the hydros. Anyway, opiates are great, that's why I haven't used them since high school.
nielsbot 2y ago
Exact same thing happened to me. I got my wisdom teeth pulled and the guy prescribed me Percocet. Interesting experience was signing a form in triplicate (white copy me, yellow copy walgreens, pink copy DEA) to pick it up. Never took any.
- nradov 2y ago
  Same thing happened to me in 2007. In retrospect it seems crazy.
  - confidantlake 2y ago
    Same thing, same year. Got an entire bottle of strong painkillers and didn't need/take any of them.

Spooky23 2y ago

You have it exactly backwards. People got hooked by the doctors, and pivoted to heroin when they were tagged as pill seekers. I had a spinal fusion in my early 20s. I was discharged from the hospital with a script for 90 days of opioid painkillers, 3x a day. $10 copay… I took like 4-5 and was done. I had a extensive support network between my lovely wife and family… people who do not develop a opioid problem like 60% of the time. The standard of care changed because of Perdue. Dentists were handing out 30 day scripts, people were getting opioids for minor ortho issues, etc. As abuse became more prevalent, sourcing prescription pills got expensive. Heroin was more available and cheaper - the use of this stuff became way broader than the stereotype of hypes selling plasma, etc.