Florida Workers' Comp: Remembering and Persevering

Overdose and senseless death have been a topic woven through this blog over the past 11 years. I have spent a great deal of time striving to understand the why and what of drug use, overdose, and governmental efforts to stem both. There are a great many people dead. In Nitazenes are Worse (June 2024), I noted that our national overdose deaths are now greater than the loss of American lives in all wars since this nation began as a small conglomerate of former colonies clustered along the Atlantic coast.

More Americans have died of drug overdose than in all wars. That is a disturbing and sobering fact. At the current rates, it will not be so long before we can say that twice as many have died of overdose. What will be enough?

I have attempted to provide a list of all of my overdose musings at the end of this post. Compiling that brought back many memories of reading and writing about senseless death and suffering. It reinforces that there have been efforts to control opioid distribution and misuse.

As I reflect upon it, however, there were few who overdosed who were inadvertently or accidentally exposed to drugs. The vast majority instead began a path through voluntary use of substances that were forbidden completely (street drugs) or at least regulated (prescriptions). They evolved into increased frequency or dose and often were misled into taking things they never suspected.

A great many of those who died were facilitated or even misled by the very people who should have protected them. Too many physicians have been implicated over the years in pill mills, inattention, and inadvertence.

There are undoubtedly those who have no concern about the victims, participants, and users. WEARTV in Paradise recently reported on the arrest of a physician who prescribed a great many pain pills. The doctor, whose profession is to heal and ameliorate, is accused of "prescribe(ing) more than 400,000 oxycodone pills over a three-and-a-half year timespan."

These are allegations, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty. In addition to allegations regarding those prescriptions and medical practice lapses, this physician will face charges of murdering two people. Two people whose names are on that list of overdose deaths discussed in Nitazenes are Worse (June 2024).

That is a tough story. It is only more compelling because it happened close to home. That is a perspective issue that is worth everyone's consideration. This is happening close to home for everyone reading this. Overdose is not a "there" problem, it is an everywhere problem.

Drug use, overuse, and death touches every community, every life, and everyone. It is unlikely that you do not at least know someone who has been directly touched by this scourge. There is no "six degrees" of separation from this pandemic. See Six Degrees of COVID-19 (April 2020). You may know someone who overdosed, but it is likely you know someone who knows someone who overdosed. If there is a separation, it is likely far less than six degrees.

There has been some progress. The rate of overdose in some demographics has decreased. However, recent reports are that Overdose deaths are rising among Black and Indigenous Americans. It is suggested by some in the press that overdose "rates for Black and Native people quickly surpassed white rates and continued to grow as white rates declined between 2021 and 2023."

There is room here to question why. If it is possible to stem the tide of this chemical tsunami in any locale or demographic, why is the effect of the efforts not uniform, or at least more uniform? There is supposition about how groups may choose to "navigate(e) . . . institutions."

There is allegation that those providing relief or release are in fact "white-dominated institutions." There is a suggestion that overdose death is thus somehow systemically enabled or condoned in some racial paradigm. Without using the terms, there is a suggestion of privilege, racism, and more.

While there is no suggestion that drugs are racist, there seems some suggestion that there is a disparity in the access to care, treatment, and recovery. There is likely merit in considering how, where, and why people are likely to seek assistance with their substance challenges.

Some advocate for programs and responses on a racial level. They seek substance abuse "services ... specifically designed for the Black community." In this, there is some suggestion that communities are different based on race. That will perhaps be facially troubling to some. A great deal has been said over the years about avoiding categorizing people.

The sources quoted in the Overdose Deaths seem to suggest that some demographic groups are reluctant to seek services. One contends that "A lot of our people don’t access services if they’re not right there in their path.” That contention is leading to increased outreach interaction. Professionals are penetrating communities with "mobile programs" to take the fight to the user instead of waiting for the user to seek help.

That approach is not race-based. That approach is logical and focused on getting resources and reactions to the problem.

The death trends are not at all comforting. The existence of disparate impact in any health function is troubling. There has to be some consideration of the merits of providing care and treatment to communities that face needs and consequences. Nonetheless, there are historical examples of troubling outcomes stemming from good intentions. See Race-Based Medicine (August 2021) and Hippocrates, Harm, Racism (May 2022). Those past actions should remain cautions in planning any response or reaction.

The bottom line remains that too many are dying of this pandemic. It has been in our midst for decades, and the gallant efforts of so many are only beginning to stem the tide. The impact of drugs is demonstrable on American society and more so on specific elements and demographics. The societal acceptance of drug use is seemingly increasing, as is the smorgasbord of substances available.

With an eye toward any structural or functional inhibitions, the time is ripe to evaluate the efforts directed at inappropriate drug use. There is merit in considering better methods of community engagement and penetration.

This post is titled Remembering and Persevering. That is a recognition that the plethora of news coverage, tragic outcomes, and reminders over the last decade have not stopped the deaths. There is merit in our remembering those who have passed, There is benefit in remembering those who might still be able to escape the threat that these substances pose.

Prior Overdose-relate Posts

Dying to me don't sound like all that much fun (October 2013)

Hey, got an Auto-Injector I Could Use? (July 2014)

New CDC Report on Opiods (July 2014)

E-FORCSE and KASPER Cousins with a Cause (August 2015)

We are on Notice (September 2015)

2015 Injury and Fatality Study is Interesting (October 2015)

What Worthwhile Can You do in 11.2 Minutes (December 2015)

Changing Face of Pain Treatment - a Game Changer? (December 2015)

She Prescribed and People Died (February 2016)

Opioid Guidelines from CDC - FINALLY! (March 2016)

If Not, What is the Point? (October 2016)