People hurting pets to get pain medication, reports on the rise across the US - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE][B]Drugs addicts are hurting their pets to get pain medication. Veterinarians are reporting it across the country.[/B] “When we hear about people intentionally hurting animals, so they can benefit from it, it’s shocking and horrifying.” Dr. R. Reed Stevens, a veterinarian at Ellicott Small Animal Hospital in Buffalo, said. He’s had to change the way he prescribes pain medications over the years, after concerns of people trying to use or abuse their pets to get it. “It strikes to us at the core, in terms of what we’re about in terms of helping animals.” Stevens said. In Kentucky, police said a woman cut her dog with razor blades in 2014 just to take the dog’s pain medication. It’s often for a drug called Tramadol, which is commonly prescribed by veterinarians for pain medication. Trooper Dean Scirri of the New York State Police said people use Tramadol with opiates to get a better high.[/QUOTE] [URL]http://wivb.com/2017/03/03/people-hurting-pets-to-get-pain-medication-reports-on-the-rise-across-the-country/[/URL] :angry:

something needs to be done about this opiod crisis

It just proves that cracking down on doctors prescribing opiates only shifts the problem elsewhere.

These fucking thundercunts deserve to OD. Sell your fucking pet if you want a fix so bad deadbeat fucks.

[QUOTE=FreakyMe;51915182]It just proves that cracking down on doctors prescribing opiates only shifts the problem elsewhere.[/QUOTE] It does however make it less conveniant for drug addicts to get their fix, and more costly. If someone really wants Drugs they're gonna get em no matter what, but making it a pain in the ass to get them generally helps deter some.

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51915177]something needs to be done about this opiod crisis[/QUOTE] Maybe if doctors didn't hand them out like candy it'd be less of an issue. I had a minor surgery done on Monday (cyst removal right underneath the skin) and I was prescribed fairly powerful pain killers for what amounts to basically a small but deep cut on my cheek [QUOTE=ChadMcGoatMan;51915213]They sould be law to prevented like this from happening again[/QUOTE] Last I checked animal abuse was illegal

They sould be law to prevented like this from happening again

That's a pretty fucked up thing to do. Veterinarians need to start prescribing more oral butorphanol that junkies can't use because of low oral bioavailability in humans. Tramadol is still incredibly easy to obtain legally. It's a pretty shitty synthetic opioid that has withdrawl symptoms a bit worse than codeine and maybe hydrocodone. Not to mention the seizure risk at higher doses.

[QUOTE=ChadMcGoatMan;51915213]They sould be law to prevented like this from happening again[/QUOTE] Yeah right, there is. It's called "animal abuse" and it carries felony charges, in some places it can carry punishments as harsh or harsher(iirc) than some murder charges.

[QUOTE=F.X Clampazzo;51915505]Yeah right, there is. It's called "animal abuse" and it carries felony charges, in some places it can carry punishments as harsh or harsher(iirc) than some murder charges.[/QUOTE] It also falls under fraud since they're trying to trick doctors (and now veterinarians ffs) into giving them drugs which they don't intend to use for the specified purpose.

Who'da thunk that, when you make it disgustingly easy to get drugs and then make it so that it's impossible to get those drugs in response to that, people end up committing crimes and mind-bogglingly unethical acts to get more of those drugs! Eh, better lock those dangerous degenerates up for a few decades so they can learn their lesson and get turned into [del]violent criminals[/del] responsible citizens.

[QUOTE=eatdembeanz;51915679]better lock those dangerous degenerates up for a few decades so they can learn their lesson and get turned into [del]violent criminals[/del] responsible citizens.[/QUOTE] They're hurting their pets to get drugs, they're already violent criminals.

[QUOTE=GhillieBacca;51915186]These fucking thundercunts deserve to OD. Sell your fucking pet if you want a fix so bad deadbeat fucks.[/QUOTE] Yeah man cause you can totally just hop right off opiods. It's just like, mildly uncomfortable and not literally lethal to stop taking opiods straight away (I have had to rescusitate my stepfather during opiate withdrawl) [editline]5th March 2017[/editline] And no, I don't approve of hurting animals in the slightest. But at the end of the day you literally can't just "not have your fix" when it comes to opiate addiction. Something needs to be done about the addiction itself as well as cutting off supply. You stop taking the opiates and you will fucking die without medical care. And guess what? People stop the opiates cold turkey because they [b]can't[/b] get medical care because America's fucking retarded drug laws will crush them if they try to get help.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Pets are more humane than humans will ever be.

Why dont these people just buy kratom?

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51915177]something needs to be done about this opiod crisis[/QUOTE] since it would eat into pharma's bottom line and hurt american (corporate) jobs we can't do anything

Absolutely fucking disgusting. The druggies and those helping them feed their addiction in this way really do deserve to OD.

[QUOTE=Richoxen;51917281]Why dont these people just buy kratom?[/QUOTE] Because Kratom doesn't get you as high as actual opiates do - it's just a very very effective method for quitting opiates. I wish rehabs used Kratom to help people kick heroin instead of methadone..

Man I realize I'm not adding anything to the discussion here but this makes me angry beyond words The last few weeks of news have been dreadful and this is like a fucking kick in the gut while I'm on the ground

going to go against the grain here and say that animal abuse is absolutely fucking deplorable, but I don't think wishing overdose and/or death on these people doesn't make you a shining example of morality

[QUOTE=Native Hunter;51915198]It does however make it less conveniant for drug addicts to get their fix, and more costly. If someone really wants Drugs they're gonna get em no matter what, but making it a pain in the ass to get them generally helps deter some.[/QUOTE] But at what cost? Sure, deterring addicts is a desirable outcome. The problem is that you need to weight that against the costs to society created by such actions. What's worse? Letting a handful of addicts kill themselves, or indirectly encouraging the torture of animals? There is no perfect solution. Everything has it's drawbacks, and all too frequently it's difficult to predict how desperate people will exploit the loopholes in a system.

[QUOTE=Zephyrs;51919501]But at what cost? Sure, deterring addicts is a desirable outcome. The problem is that you need to weight that against the costs to society created by such actions. What's worse? Letting a handful of addicts kill themselves, or indirectly encouraging the torture of animals? There is no perfect solution. Everything has it's drawbacks, and all too frequently it's difficult to predict how desperate people will exploit the loopholes in a system.[/QUOTE] I think we need to realise that drug addicts are still human, even if they do inhumane things. It would really help if we stopped treating drug addicts as inhuman so they can actually come out and admit that they have a problem instead of torturing animals for their own gain. [editline]4[/editline] Like this isn't even a moral hippie issue. It just makes fucking sense. If you continue to demonize drug addicts like they were demonized in the War on Drugs, then they're going to be too scared to ask for help.

[QUOTE=The golden;51915281][media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao8L-0nSYzg[/media] Very informative short video on how the understanding of addictions is changing, especially regarding opiates.[/QUOTE] Wow, thanks for the share! Great video! Having now watched it and sold on the necessity of creating a better society, anyone down for some [B]workers of the world unite[/B]?

Hurting others to get high is disgusting, but harming life under one's own care to get high? I really thought most people would draw the line there, but I guess that notion was naive. What the fuck, I don't wish death upon them as that would be too merciful. I just hope karma dishes them extremely painful consequences instead so they can feel the pain they've caused, and that they also happen to run out of painkillers when this happens (and also get help). The opiate crisis is very sad :disappoint:

[QUOTE=ROFLBURGER;51919514]I think we need to realise that drug addicts are still human, even if they do inhumane things. It would really help if we stopped treating drug addicts as inhuman so they can actually come out and admit that they have a problem instead of torturing animals for their own gain. [editline]4[/editline] Like this isn't even a moral hippie issue. It just makes fucking sense. If you continue to demonize drug addicts like they were demonized in the War on Drugs, then they're going to be too scared to ask for help.[/QUOTE] That's basically what I'm saying. Give help and treatment to those that seek/desire it, and stop wasting resources playing the little dutch boy plugging holes. Whack-a-mole doesn't work. At some point you just have to step back and accept that a few addicts are going to kill themselves and that there is nothing you can do about it. All you can do is reduce the aggregate costs to society. [editline]5th March 2017[/editline] [QUOTE=WoodenSpoon;51919582]I really thought most people would draw the line there, but I guess that notion was naive.[/QUOTE] You've never interacted with big league addicts then. Hardcore addicts have no concept of right and wrong. The only thing on their minds is their next fix and how they are going to get it. Someone with a serious addiction problem will violate their standards faster than they can lower them. They will lie. They will steal. They will betray their closest friends and relatives. They will use every emotional trick in the book to coerce, guilt, and cajole sympathy and funding to fuel their addiction because nothing else is as important to them, if it even matters to them at all.

This thread really doesn't seem to get that people under drug addiction act irrationally. This attitude of animosity towards addicts will not help resolve the crisis

I have a border collie who had a fungal infection in one of her ears a few years ago which lead to her scratching and damaging the cartilage on it. It caused fluid buildup between the skin and cartilage which made her ear extremely sensitive and painful. I took her to a local vet to get the fungal infection treated, which they did; But they also prescribed a huge bottle of tramadol (like 20 pills) for pain management. I was shocked they would prescribe such a large amount of a controlled substance without batting an eye. Needless to say I threw the bottle in the trash because I figured out from a previous surgery for removing a large bladder stone that opioids made her feel awful and didn't help with the pain. Tylenol and ibuprofen work fine for pain management in the dozens of canines I've had over my lifetime and they live to a ripe old age.

[QUOTE=The golden;51921787]The still-commonly held belief is that people get addicted willingly and they choose to stay addicted. How people think addiction works is still so fucking backwards and wrong it's quite saddening actually. I would suggest everyone watch that video I posted above and see why hurting, punishing, hating, and doing bad things to addicts will [B]not help AT ALL.[/B] It will just make things substantially worse, in fact. To look at this issue as simply just "oh the poor pets" is really shallow and close-minded. There is a lot more to this situation than just the animals. [editline]6th March 2017[/editline] Going after the addicts and stringing them up for this will accomplish the same thing as the war on drugs does. IE: Sweet fuck all. Because it does nothing to address what is actually creating this problematic situation.[/QUOTE] You can't just let people commit violence without stopping them. You're responsible for the harm you cause. Forced rehabilitation (as opposed to a simple prison sentence) may help but if it doesn't and you're still an addict causing real harm, you have to be held legally responsible for your actions. You don't get a free pass just because you're suffering.

[QUOTE=geel9;51925175]You can't just let people commit violence without stopping them. You're responsible for the harm you cause. Forced rehabilitation (as opposed to a simple prison sentence) may help but if it doesn't and you're still an addict causing real harm, you have to be held legally responsible for your actions. You don't get a free pass just because you're suffering.[/QUOTE] I think this is one of the biggest problems when discussing this topic. I read both of your posts as alternative ways of saying the same thing. At least I hope The golden isn't arguing that we should just let addicts run free.

[QUOTE=geel9;51925175]You can't just let people commit violence without stopping them. You're responsible for the harm you cause. Forced rehabilitation (as opposed to a simple prison sentence) may help but if it doesn't and you're still an addict causing real harm, you have to be held legally responsible for your actions. You don't get a free pass just because you're suffering.[/QUOTE] I don't think he's saying that addicts [I]shouldn't[/I] be punished for causing violence, but simply doing it the old way of just throwing them the book without a second thought isn't helping anyone. It's just gonna lead to those addicts to continue being addicts after they leave jail, because what else have they got? It's also not just with addicts, the whole US justice system is in ruins from the bureaucracy, to the courts, to the prisons. It needs desperate reform from the bottom-up, because with the dismal state it's in, it's no wonder that the US has the highest incarcerated rate out of any Western country by a longshot, and I'm pretty sure it actually holds the most incarcerated per capita in the [I]world[/I].