Bush Admin health official opposes heroin OD remedy, says it encourages drug use

[BurtWorm]

Or eliminate the prime disincentive for using heroin, i.e., the potential for fatal overdose. Pharyngula's PZ Myers points out the monstrosity of such a position (if it isn't obvious):

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/scienceblogs/pharyngula/~3/224647844/we_are_ruled_by_monsters.php

This is an unbelievable statement from one of our top medical advisors. Heroin overdoses kill many people; there is a cheap rescue option, though, kits called Narcan that cost a mere $9.50 and allow people to save lives. The Bush administration opposes their distribution.

Dr. Bertha Madras, deputy director of the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy, opposes the use of Narcan in overdose-rescue programs.

"First of all, I don't agree with giving an opioid antidote to non-medical professionals. That's No. 1," she says. "I just don't think that's good public health policy."

Madras says drug users aren't likely to be competent to deal with an overdose emergency. More importantly, she says, Narcan kits may actually encourage drug abusers to keep using heroin because they know overdosing isn't as likely.

Madras says the rescue programs might take away the drug user's motivation to get into detoxification and drug treatment.

Hang on there…Bertha doesn't like non-medical professionals having access to an antidote? Does she also tut-tut the availability of defibrillators in places where someone without a medical degree might use them to save a life?

And it just gets worse. She opposes saving lives because watching a friend go into delirium, spasm, turn blue, and die in front of you is a pretty good deterrent to drug use. Even better, if you turn blue and die you won't be repeating your filthy drug habits ever again — the War on Drugs chalks up a win! We have a public health official advocating more deaths among victims of drug abuse as part of their compassionate approach to improving the health of our citizens.

Hey, here's another suggestion: let's stop teaching people the Heimlich maneuver. Not only does it put a medical procedure in the hands of mere non-medical professionals, watching a few fat people in your local McDonalds choke and die, turning purple, thrashing on the floor, and clawing their throats, would be an excellent salutary lesson in the dangers of gluttony and poor dietary habits.

[sarge43]

1. 358 days, 358 days

And no more CPR training for civilians. Let the five year old drown, teach him to go near bodies of water.

[Ilsa]

2. Oh, geez. Like wearing a seatbelt is going to encourage me to have a wreck?

Like having birth control is going to make me go out to have an affair?

Like getting the Gardisil vax is going cause more girls to have more sex?

Like curing lung cancer is going to encourage people to smoke?

HOW STUPID CAN THESE PEOPLE GET?

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. "Like having birth control is going to make me go out to have an affair?"

Actually, I have heard fundy preacher types say that exact thing.

[Ilsa]

17. Thank you for making my point! I haven't heard any preachers

actually say it, but I figured they were out there!

[yardwork]

4. Translation - the Bush administration wants heroin users to die.

Unless said heroin users happen to be wealthy kids of Bush supporters. Then they get the antidote in their private docs' office.

[Az_lefty]

13. I think you've nailed it....

[lurky]

5. Just like the HPV vaccine!

I can't wait until these asshats are out. :mad:

[DBoon]

6. Like electing republicans to office

Just encourages corruption and incompetence

Just say "non" to republicans

[Reverend_Smitty]

7. With that logic we should not allow people to have an EpiPen

epinephrine can be a powerful drug and won't it just encourage people with shellfish allergies to eat shrimp since they can just stop their anaphylactic shock? Lord knows they aren't trained medical professionals :eyes:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. More than that, they said ODing on heroin was a good thing.

Because it scares people into giving up heroin, apparently.

[BurtWorm]

9. Exactly.

And you need to see a lot of people die before you realize you could be next and try to kick the junk. Take it from Jim Carroll!

If this thing saves too many lives, a lot of people are going to die die.

:crazy:

[Javaman]

10. A fairly big article in National Geographic regarding this drug...

It works. That is why the US drug cartel doesn't want it.

the "war on drugs" is a money maker for the US. I'm now of the firm belief that the reason we are in Iraq and Afghanistan is, not only to launder money but to make much more money in drugs to be sold all over the world.

All the war on drugs does is provide money for various agencies so they can cover their over inflated salaries, justifying the war on drugs. Circular logic.

Afghanistan is now a narcostate. 63 of its 65 provinces subsist on poppy production. Now Iraq is doing the same.

If someone tells me that these wars are about keeping us safe, I have bridge to sell them.

the reasons why the US continues to occupy these countries.

1) money laundering

2) oil

3) drug profits

4) money

oh and #%

Money.

[Solly Mack]

11. Callous piece of refuse isn't she?

[elehhhhna]

12. It it retailed for more like $9,000.00 a dose, the BA would be ALL OVER IT!

[cbayer]

14. Embarassing

This antidote is easy to use (not an injection) and can not cause any harm if too much is given. And it saves someone instantly, allowing time for paramedics to get there.

Lots of overdoses are kids who don't understand dosing and take too much totally by accident.

And I really don't think anyone is going to overdose on purpose because they know their buddy has an antidote.

Oh and access to detoxification and rehab in this country is pretty much non-existent (unless you are a celebrity).

A horrible, horrible decision.

[NorthernSpy]

15. Only professional firefighters should have fire extinguishers!

'Cause letting just anyone buy a fire extinguisher = encouraging people to play with matches.


:dunce:

[Rex]

16. Oh fuck you, you know nothing about drug abuse.

Control freaks should be shot.

[troubleinwinter]

18. Bush Admin opposes brain use, says it encourages voting Dem.

[gratuitous]

19. Makes sense to me

After all, Dick Cheney keeps having heart attacks, and you have to believe that if he didn't have access to such high quality health care on demand, he wouldn't have had so many.

The logic is irrefutable.