I am a doctor and was at a movie theater when a young woman collapsed in the lobby. I went over to see if I could help and she had the classic signs of an opioid overdose. She had a lot of secretions but her pulse was strong, but when the cop showed up and I asked him for narcan, he wouldn’t touch her because he was afraid it might be fentanyl and he didn’t want to OD on it. So I had to just monitor her vitals and put her in the recovery position until ems showed up and would actually treat her. So the misinformation is actively harming people.
@@merchillio yeah I’m sure he was probably trained to. He just didn’t want to because he was afraid of getting the fentanyl on him lol. Never mind he was watching me touch her with my bare hands without any problems.
I stuck a needle in a guy once and it was too much for him. If my friend wouldn't have had narcan on him he would have died. I don't know where I would be today if it would have went different. I definitely wouldn't be sober. Probably wouldn't be alive.
But you know it won't happen because people are fragile and want to be told it'll be OK if we do x without looking into the issue further. They don't care how it's done, they just want to feel better. God were a bunch of wusses.
I like how it's a calm, collected, professional conversation. Neither of the men is getting angry at the other. They're respectfully listening to one another and providing evidence-based reasons as to why or why not.
Because it isn't social media.. disrespecting someone to their face in person has consequences.. too many people are comfortable disrespecting people on the web
Evidence based? Really?😂 I mean when this guy claims “almost most of heroin users don’t have addiction to it”, he’s evidence is literally “I know plenty of people”.😂😂😂 There is no statistic result mentioned, no paper referenced, what kind of doctor is that
Yes! Honestly his way of having non judgmental conversations makes it seem like he would be an excellent doctor for a patient to trust and be open with.
My bff was in a lot of pain because of a car accident when she was 29. She went through many surgeries but was never cured of pain. She made the mistake of filling a hydro prescription from a different doctor (because she had a fall and couldn't see her normal doctor at the time) not to long after she got one from her normal doctor. They put her on a list, and after that, no matter what she felt or what they put her through, she was denied any pain relief. 4 years, and many conversations with her doctor pleading him to help her in any way possible because they couldn't fix her, she couldn't take it anymore. She found someone to buy percocet from. These pills were way stronger than what she would have been given from her doctor, but it was all she could find. She was desperate for relief. 1 year later, she had become addicted to them. Not too long after I started noticing a problem, I got a call at 8 am on Jun 20th from her husband saying she passed away in the night. Her heart finally gave out from all the strain the pills put on it. I was so angry. This was not who she was. This all started because she was in true, real pain, and no one cared. I'm watching this video as the 1 year anniversary of her death approaches. I miss her so much. I do not blame her or judge her. I feel that she was failed by her doctors. Things could have gone so differently. RIP Allison 🙏 ❤
Yeah, a lot of doctors like to think they know what pain feels like because they read a textbook written by someone else who's never experienced pain other than maybe a pulled muscle and now thinks that make them an expert
Being in chronic pain puts you at a greater risk for heart disease. She would probably be alive today if the Dr just prescribed her the normal pain medicine, and monitered her usage. I'm sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your lose and the medical mismanagement that was the cause of it. RIP Allison, and to those who loved her, I hope they are at peace with her passing.
@@Flakjacket96 "Proceedings to add, delete, or change the schedule of a drug or other substance may be initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or by petition from any interested party" To be completely fair; the DEA has a say but they do not have the final say in all cases. DHHS and the FDA can still make the decision to authorize the use of drugs the DEA has explicitly controlled which is why you can still get Morphine legally in a hospital but not at 7/11. The DEA is a regulator and enforcement agency but their power is limited by federal laws which oversee their regulatory power. This law is called the CSA or Controlled Substances Act. The CSA does not authorize the DEA to ban a drug, only to control its manufacturing and distribution to ensure it is RX only. The doctor in the video did mention that you can do things like take heroin without harming yourself, so on his own merits you cannot trust what he is saying. Clearly injecting unknown substances made in an unknown non-sterile way even with a known sterile needle and cleaned injection site is never going to be without harm. He also says there is no heroin which is clearly untrue because heroin is extremely easy to produce from opium poppy plants and fentanyl is extremely hard to produce because it is entirely synthetic. I worked at a manufacturing plant where we produced most of the opioid narcotics available for use in the United States and I can assure you that heroin is readily made by someone with very little chemical knowledge. Even your morphine is made by someone with no science background at all. However, the Fentanyl is made only by highly qualified scientists who are the best in their fields. Fentanyl is extremely common these days, but that doesn't mean that heroin doesn't exist.
It's definitely a good way to get people that used adderall to look for other sources like meth. Then prosecute those people to keep your job security. I mean look what happened with oxy prescriptions. People ran out and went to the street.
Same:) Ryan's response to heroin use was great but I had to laugh because he was trying so hard to explain it in a way to be correct but respectful at the same time. It took his a moment tho to think about how he wanted to respond tho lol
@@CMT_Crabbles It’s like writing on a bathroom wall: people can express wild, wrong, or goofy things while having some anonymity. Not that I, whose name is I, would ever approve of such.
I had to explain to my buddy who genuinely thought fentanyl was basically a chemical weapon. To add some background information, I am a registered nurse who handles fentanyl on a frequent basis. My buddy who is was in the police academy, was told it's this nefarious killer that would connect you to God's wifi if you even got a whiff. I'll put on gloves for transdermal patches, but anything else I'll use my bare hands because I'm equipped with something called keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, also known as skin. Its pretty good at preventing things from getting in your blood
Exactly! I'm on Fentanyl transdermal patches for pain (I'm in the UK) and when I've been watching US TV shows or news the way they react to it terrifies me!
It doesn't come in little baggies like to buy off the street. A lot of times, people get a patch or lollipop. It might be different in the UK but in the US they usually don't give liquid fentanyl unless it's for end of life care. Also she said she's on a patch
I had to be given strong pain medicine in emergency and when they first mentioned fentanyl I freaked out thinking I was going to die 😂 and I'm all the way over in Aus.
This is important information and an important conversation. I appreciate two licensed, practicing, medical professionals having this discussion "in front of us."
I am so grateful that you highlighted this issue on your channel. I work in drug prevention and the misinformation out there is so scary and keeps people (including first responders) from providing help when someone needs it. There are law enforcement officers in my area trying to combat this misinformation, and it just feels like such an uphill battle. I'm grateful for the reach your platform provides. Thank you!
I like to see the human side of this issue be taken seriously. My brother died and thankfully was brought back with narcan from an overdose of fentanyl from pills he bought on the street. He's had chronic pain his whole life from a birth defect, multiple surgeries that failed to help/made it worse, countless physical therapists and orthopedic specialists, nothing helped him live a normal life anywhere near as effectively as narcotic pain medication. But his doctor cut him off a few years ago and he's desperate to be able to work and have a social life again. It's hard to hear people write narcotics and users off as just dumb addicts who need to be saved instead of fellow people with worth and nuance.
Yesssss. I’m so sorry about your brother! I too live with chronic pain that is barely managed by a very low dose of an opioid that hasn’t changed in 10 years. My psychiatrist has even told my pain management that my pain is NOT under control but I’m just thankful it’s not been cut off and I dare not complain. I would not be able to cope without my pain meds. I would be on the street as well. 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
I wrote a paper on this topic in College. Countries like Portugal are proof that decriminalization, safe use facilities, and better treatment programs are a better alternative to the war on drugs.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for covering this topic!! I work in harm reduction and the stigma surrounding drugs and drug use is still so prevalent and the misinformation is HORRENDOUS. I'm so glad to see this coming from a popular and respected medical professional!
Regarding shortages: I have narcolepsy. Several years ago there was a Ritalin shortage. I also have ADHD. That means that neurologically, I am somewhat resistant to the stimulating effects of Ritalin. They don't act like they would on someone without ADHD. Therefore I needed slightly higher doses (maximum 90mg per day), and I needed the Instant Release variant to to several other factors. Other drugs didn't help and I would often suffer for 1-3 weeks because of the shortages. Another fail: Xyrem was released as an Orphan drug for narcolepsy. I started this a few years after it came out. Guess what that drug is? GHB / sodium oxybate. Works WONDERS for REM suppression in narcolepsy. But it cost $32,000 - $40,000 per year!! I studied chemistry. I could make a few gallons for what they were charging for a monthly amount. I mean obviously that's illegal, but it's freaking extortion.
I have narcolepsy too. I work at a pharmacy and have always been adamant to avoid adderall and methylphenidate due to the shortages. I take modafinil and xywav now. You are not alone
I have narcolepsy, too. The shortage on Adderall meant I was taking a dose that was much lower than I needed just so I could make it last all month and only one pharmacy had any, which wasn't covered by my insurance.... Not a great situation. I was just switched to Armodafinil, but I also have Adhd and it's not enough for the adhd and I'm having worse reactions to it... The shortage on drugs and the fact that insurances can decide to just not cover the dosage you need is insane.
@lynningram4218 I tried modafinil for narcolepsy several times, and it gave me headaches every night and after a month I'd feel awful 😖 unfortunate, considering it worked very well. Now I'm on nothing 😅 and routinely fall asleep at work.
I'm glad to see that fentanyl "overdose" video debunked on a channel this large. The misconception that you can overdose just by being near or touching fentanyl is way too common.
yea, until i watched this video, I thought it was true too. being a senior in high school, all you teachers are trying to warn you about drugs in college and stuff like that and were putting a huge emphasis on fentanyl and were basically saying that being within a foot of it is deadly. i think highlighting the dangers that it poses but being REALISTIC is what they should be striving for, not just telling people dont get close to it or you're gonna die
I'm slightly confused on what he said though because in the medical field it can hurt you that's why you have to wear gloves when applying it. Powder won't do that I am assuming is what he means but the patches you NEED to wear gloves.
200% agree. As a chronic pain patient and mom of kids with ADHD, policy changes have controlled and at times wrecked our ability to access a decent quality of life more bc than our doctors, our habits, or anything else.
Same. I have ADHD, and have a spinal cord injury. If you try to have your prescription changed to where you know they have it, the doctor can lose their ability to prescribe controlled substances
Yep I have fibromyalgia and something as simple as lidocaine patches can be hard for me to get due to insurance. They say it has to be for lower back pain and my pain is in my hips. Every few years they start denying my prescription and then the nurses have to reword it and prescribe for low back pain to get it reinstated. Meanwhile I’m without them and in more pain. My son also has ADHD and when he was on a stimulant we had to wait until he was on his last two pills (they would only fill for 28 days…like only one month has that few days, give me a 30 day supply!), then go pick up the written prescription, take it to the pharmacy and then they would fill it. Then they started allowing it to be called into the pharmacy rather than us picking up a paper one. Still only 28 days and only a couple days before he ran out. I’m so glad he’s how switched to a non stimulant as he gets refills on it and it can be called in. So much easier. But it’s like, it’s hard enough having a condition like that, and then you make it so difficult to get the medication. I can’t imagine him as an adult actually being able to handle it all- remembering when to call for a refill, going and getting the paper copy- I’m hoping he will either not need the meds when older or will be able to stay on a non stimulant
I have fibromyalgia and my doctors office decided they were going to change their policy on how many pills they would give for any controlled substances. They didn't tell me this until I went to pick up my prescriptions from the pharmacy and they had cut my Lyrica dosage in half!!! I am so mad I could scream. My pain level has been the through the roof. I am going to be looking for a new doctor.
I have ADHD too, I do non stimulant treatment, and from what I hear of others’ experience, non stimulant medication is not as effective. Did you try both? What was your opinion?
Honestly as a former addict I completely agree with what he’s saying. If you legalize these, decriminalize them and regulate them, so many people will stop dying.
@@SassyStrawberry1 it needs to be federally regulated, kind of like with alcohol or marijuana where it’s legal (even though that’s not regulated federally) I just think if they take all these steps before they legalize things than it could help people from dying when they think they have cocaine or heroin and it ends up being fentanyl or something stronger
I appreciate this guy, it's such a hard subject to speak out about because people are so firmly set in their beliefs around drugs and safe use .. appreciate mike for having such an open mind ❤
watching my husband suffer without his ADHD meds has been heartbreaking. now hearing the "why" has me shaking with rage. thank you for this video. even as a recovering opioid addict with close to 7 years of sobriety under my belt, i 100000000% agree with legalizing and then regulating all drugs. people will do what they want to do anyway. keep them safe in the process
I think the reason people don't want legalization in part has to do with them actively wanting addicts to suffer as punishment or just not caring if they do.
You’d think they’d understand that medical fentanyl and street fentanyl, is not the same. But honestly, if someone doesn’t want a drug, it shouldn’t be forced on them. I’m all for proper pain management (SCI with severe nerve pain) but not everyone responds the same way. I’ve had fentanyl and morphine, several times, during and post-surgery, and I hate both. They don’t help with pain and make me feel horribly sick.
I'm a hospice nurse and have literal dying people in horrible pain because of cancer or whatever terminal illness, refuse pain meds because the media has terrified them when it comes to opioids. They are either terrified we will accidentally kill them, even though we have more knowledge about how to use those meds than the vast majority of medical providers, or they are afraid they will get addicted, even though they won't live long enough for that to matter even if they did.
True dat, I have spinal stenosis on top of other disabilities & medical issue's, pain & fatigue is the story of my life & wld rather DIE than get any opiates despite them being very much needed, justified & low key an absolute.
I'm from Portugal, one doctor here saw the effects drugs were having on the community, and how villainizing and ostracizing drugs users led to an increase in drug related deaths. His solution? Decriminalization. The result: Drug-related deaths have remained below the EU average since 2001 The proportion of prisoners sentenced for drugs has fallen from 40% to 15% Rates of drug use have remained consistently below the EU average
As someone with a chronic illness (IBD), in response to the pharma and healthcare system mistreating us, I can confirm. COVID absolutely played a factor in healthcare providers being so tired and overwhelmed that I’ve had providers who have forgotten to check up on me after needing significant medical help (i.e. had significant IBD flare). I also am required to take a biologic medication every 2 months, and if I had no insurance, I would be out 180,000 a year. That is more than triple the amount that minimum wage workers make in a year. There need to be regulations that control the amount of profit made by those companies such that it’s directly proportional to the research cost. I’ve also had the issue of adderall shortage affect me, I only was able to find a 2 week supply that I had to ration for one month while calling quite nearly 100 pharmacies who all did not have it, which resulted in a change in medication altogether, which only added more stress to the process. At the end of the day medical professionals need to be involved in the discussion and development of the legislature that guides the processes for all of the issues that were discussed, mainly in the arena of pharmaceutical production and in the regulation of pharmaceutical companies’ pricing (proportional to their direct costs which should be involved in the regulation process that is guided by medical professionals) for the drugs that so many need to either function properly or to literally STAY ALIVE. I should not have a financial barrier prevent me from receiving lifesaving care, including medication. It’s disgusting, it’s greedy, it’s harmful to the majority of people. In all of these discussions and situations, the priority needs to be the health of individuals first and foremost, no exceptions, with (which should be minimal, necessary [i.e. regulated pricing for further development based on audits/analysis of costs]) profit being on the farthest back burner.
So in short, everything is broken in our nation. Not a single system that is set up to "benefit anyone" is actually benefiting anyone. Thank you for this episode, Dr. Mike. We need more things like this.
I mean the American military does it's job perfectly. The United States has had zero fear of foreign invasion or war on their turf for nearly a hundred years now, and through it's protection has extended the same benefits to the rest of North America and Western Europe. The only problem with that one is its become so dominant culturally and politically that it chokes out the funding for basically every other social program.
Honestly, if Fentanyl was as bad as police make it out to be, we would be seeing doctors and nurses dropping down left and right in hospitals and nursing homes. 🙄
@@melvinelder3587 you still aren't dropping by just being in a general vicinity of it. Unless you are licking it or ingesting it in some form, it's NOT gonna make you pass out
This was very insightful and this was the first time I’ve actually heard understandable and justifiable reasons to legalize drug use! I didn’t realize the DEA was the reason for the adderall shortage, it has been a crazy year and made many lives so much more difficult than needed! Glad you did this, thank you both for your invaluable insight!
I have a BS-Pharm. I definitely agree with Dr. Marino's ideas. I am surprised I did not know DEA has no medical personnel. Ridiculous. And as clinicians, it would be nice to have a pharmacist in the room.
also: triple the punishment for anything done while intoxicated. i really don't like it when people get off with lesser penalties if they are drunk on purpose. not my problem if you don't have yourself under control. make sure that someone is taking care of you and prevents you from doing bad things.
Drugs ruin lives. They make people abusive in some cases, they break families, send people into debt. making absolutely everyone able to access them is very dangerous because people who wouldn’t even be exposed to it can just buy it. Meth isn’t going to help ANYONE you can die taking it once. What is happening? I’m confused?
I think it's horrible that an agency that has no medical personnel can make laws about medications. I feel bad for all of the people who legitimately need Adderall and can't get it because of the DEA. There should be a class action lawsuit against them!
100%. The problem is also undertreating and accusing others of not legitimately needing it. That’s exactly what the DEA does. They are harming people who need these drugs claiming that because so many suddenly “need” to that their needs must not be legitimate. But they are making these assumptions and judgments without clinicians, doctors, or experts. They have no idea what they are doing and no idea what they are talking about. The government should have NO business in your healthcare decisions, or the prescriptions, treatments, therapies, or procedures you need. That decision should always be between the patient and their doctor(s).
As a generic adderall user for the past 11 years, I agree with you 100%!! It is criminal to take something from someone who depends on it for normal day to day functions that is monitored and prescribed by a MEDICAL professional!!! I cannot tell you how terrifying it is when I can see the bottom of my prescritpion bottle each month and know I have to start making 100s of calls, praying that someone got lucky and got a shipment in! It is debilitating every single month!
I take Adderall to be able to function on a daily basis. The amount of hate, bias and dismissal by other people for my condition is horrifying. I feel like I've been bullied all my life.
Thank you!!!!!! I’ve been hated in for calling this out but only lately have people started learning but still don’t question the person who pretended to OD.
Thank you so much for discussing ADHD. A lot of women specifically (including myself) went undiagnosed for years. I literally never even questioned it for myself until I found out my daughter had ADHD. I do believe the rise in diagnoses comes from continued education and awareness around it (alongside many not so truthful people saying they have it just to get medication).
As a former pharmacy tech who has ADHD and takes Adderall, the Adderall shortage makes me so angry. Pharmacies don't have the ability to determine whether or not the person getting their prescription filled has a legitimate diagnosis; they fill scripts in the order that they get them. If the DEA thinks the increase in demand is caused by an increase in illegitimate prescriptions or diagnoses, they should be targeting prescribers to fix this, not supply.
As someone with ADHD and suffering from the Aderall shortage, thank you for pointing out and discussing the things that become much easier and safer when me and people like me can actually GET the medicine we are prescribed. When I have to go of my Aderall my quality of work and ability to safely focus on driving is so much worse, and I’m so tired of people just telling me that I should just focus better and get over it. I’ve heard way too many people think this was only a drug used by college students to do better on exams and it’s great to hear about how much evidence there is in the medical community on the effectiveness and use of these stimulants.
Telling someone with ADHD to “just focus better and get over it” without an NDRA/NDRI is quite literally equivalent to telling a diabetic to “just metabolize sugar better and get over it” without insulin.
I've been saying this since I first became an IV heroin addict and then got clean. I was a bit more of a 'responsible' user, since I ventured into the world to experiment and try to understand how it all works, anything from hard drugs, to psychedelics and research chemicals that had not been introduced or studied for human consumption yet. I weighed everything with microgram scales, tested it (reagants/test strips and informal drug assays/GC-MS), clean and unused needles, safe disposal of IVs, micron filters, alcohol swabs etc. I saw so many people that had no idea what they were doing, or suffered dangerous adverse reactions because: 1. They were unaware their product was cut - which alters the dosage and possible interacts with their health. 2. Often not open to their doctors about their health due to the perception of the legal aspect (and possibly shame). 3. Struggle to get help and entering a opioid maintenance therapy program/regiment (e.g. Buvidal injections or Subuxone strips [Buprenorphine]) 4. Unable to adequately measure their dosages. 5. Unable to help in overdoses due to lack of Narcan or Naloxone. 6. Re-using needles. 7. Improper education and guidance of safe injecting techniques and procedures. Legalising (and REGULATING) can do so much more to alleviate those issues. Especially when coupled with education, safe injection rooms like in Australia, and importantly - removing legal consequences that affect their life AFTER getting clean (unable to get a job due to their criminal record). I remember the only people that agreed with me were the Drug Policy advocates/organisations down here and those experts have my deepest respect. Regulation can open the doors to greater, open education and public health information, pure and clean products with consistent dosages and lack of cutting agents. Although not perfect, I see this as the only way forward and above all is fairest to over a 100m illicit drug users in the world.
My brother died of an overdose beginningof 2018. Certificate said "morphine and fentnyl" I have been wondering over the last few years that regulation could help with the astronomical amount of deaths. I think these rooms you describe sound like a good idea. Prior to knowing about my brother's addiction I was of the mind that anyone who suggested giving addicts clean needles were enablers. But after his death I started to see things a but different and realized that those people and enablers are very different.
Purse drugs, clean needles, and easily available Narcan. It's so simple, but so many people are brainwashed by D.A.R.E. and the "war on drugs" and they see using any drug (other than alcohol or nicotine) as a moral failing. So many people seem to think it's okay that people die, that they ruin their lives. When it would be so easy to help them, but the laws make it so hard.
To point number two, it can really fuck you over to be completely honest with your doctors about drug use. I am all for honesty, but then when you are in severe pain and nothing has worked, and normally opioids would be prescribed, doctors are often reluctant to prescribe them due to ignorance.
I love everything that Dr. Marino is saying! Also I absolutely LOVEEE that he has a knowledge of the history of drugs on top of up the knowledge of their affects! This shows just how much he cares about what he does, and how much time he's willing to dedicate himself to learning as much as possible in order to get an accurate picture of the problem!! I will absolutely be following his future endeavors, and thank you Doctor Mike for taking the time to talk about this issue!
I agree with this guy 100%. I take hydrocodone and Adderall and have been taking them both over 20 years. I've never had an issue getting my prescription filled til recently. My pharmacist said the DEA is limiting the amount of narcotics that can be made which is causing a shortage of the drugs. It's impossible to even get them both filled at the same pharmacy now
@@hyperactivejaz I took a few non stimulates and for me they didn't work. I prefer the stimulates. It prevents me from letting my mind wonder from random topic to random topic
@@brandywine4000 I have been using both. This month when I got my scripts filled I tried multiple CVS, Walgreens, the local pharmacy inside the hospital, Costco and one in a local grocery store. The pharmacist at the CVS inside our local Target was able to fill one script but I had to get my doctor to change the script from capsule to tablets. Then the pharmacist called another CVS on the other side of the island and had them hold the meds for the other script and I was basically told I had 45 mins to get there or they wouldn't hold it for me.
@@karencamp741 I understand. I had to change from a large chain to a mom and pop to get mine filled. I also changed from a bigger town to a smaller town within the limits of the allowed area of my doctor’s area. The regulations definitely make it harder these days. Best luck to you!
I've been an advocate for drug regulation and legalization for a long time now and im really happy that this topic is given more platform and reach trough youtuber's like you or Dr. Ryan Marino, i really hope that we will get to a point where this topic is more openly discussed. Even though i think that nothing big will change in the next few years i still hope that someday we will have a fully regulated system that actually cares about the poeple and not demonize or criminalize them.
As a recovering addict with over 3 years clean, whos DOC Was H*ero*n, there is no way to tell if a person will be able to use without any consequences, until after they've used, and i cant think of an ethical way to let people use it, without risking and ruining lives, or even death, because thats what drug addiction does, jail, institutions or death. I wouldn't wish addiction on my worst enemy, and i certainly wouldn't want it available for use commercially.
@@GreyGirl999 addiction is very much biological. It has pretty well documented that about 15% of people have a genetic makeup that will cause them to become addicted to a substance. Many can use and never have a problem. It is a roll of the dice in that regard.
Alcohol is far more dangerous and does more damage to the body than heroin does. Do you believe there isn't am ethical way to sell alcohol? Why is heroin magically not ethical when it's literally safer? 90% of people who use "hard" drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, etc. never develop substance use disorder. What is unethical is violating people's basic human right to bodily autonomy by kidnapping and caging people for substances. We could end the overdose crisis almost overnight by ending the drug war and ensuring access to legal, safe supply.
THANK YOU DR. RYAN! YES! In Australia it is your right under the health act you're allowed to INGEST or CONSUME any substance you want. However the criminal act gets in the way of purchasing, selling, holding, or having. Having taxes go towards healthy provision of substances and education around them and the safe use, just makes more sense.
It's not perfect but it's so much better. If some people are taking drugs and one of their friends overdoses, they can just call the ambulance and they and the person who overdoses (if/when conscious) can just be honest about what they've had, without threat of police or jail. Not having this policy in some countries must cause so much unnecessarily harm and death.
Yes. I think treating addicts like criminals is, well, criminal. Regulate, regulate, regulate, go after illegal dealers. It would seriously reduce the power of cartels and give more addicted people a chance to live long enough to seek help.
I'm one of those newly diagnosed adhd people. Living your whole life with a neurodevelopmental disorder but not knowing what it is or being given the tools to manage it is really hard. Then finding out that one of those solutions is hard to get because people in the government don't think your situation is real just makes it worse. I had to call so many pharmacies to get my prescription filled and some told me they weren't filling them for new patients, only existing ones. Every time I hung up the phone I just sobbed. I finally found one that had it in stock and I don't take it everyday so it's lasted a while. It's been a really emotional process getting diagnosed made harder by people thinking I'm just a tiktok trend.
I was also diagnosed late in life. The meds made it far worse. It's not even close. Adderall will make you waste more time than anything, it also causes emotional disregulation in 100% of users. That's the clinical number 100%. The excuse for prescribing is that it's even worse to have untreated ADHD. Once you learn the truth: that it is always controllable without drugs. ADHD isn't a disease, it's a behavior we learned period. It's all about unlearning those habits. The key to overcoming ADD is discipline which is something most ADD people are really bad at. Good luck. You will definitely see after a short " honeymoon phase" the meds do not help.
@@todayilearnedsomething8105 🤣 a learned behavior..... There are literally differences in the structures of a neurodivergent person's brain, but go off.
I always wondered how people were using fentanyl if you can OD by being near it or touching the tiniest amount of it. I'm pretty sure junkies aren't always being super careful around their dosages and storage methods.
You can’t. I’ve held a gram of fentanyl powder in my hand and it did nothing (I don’t do fentanyl or opioids but my friend does). I mean that’s ridiculous, it cannot magically get into your blood stream through your skin lol. The only way is with a scientifically designed transdermal fentanyl patch.
As a patient that has chronic pain issues due to a serious fall. I had to catch myself listening to people, doctors included, that recommend to me something that is a contraindication to prescriptions that I take. Its hard when you're desperate for relief without dangerous side effect. We must remember that whats good for one person isnt necessarily good for everyone. We must be our own advocate and speak up. Our life depend on it.
@@davidcarr9772 You have to remember doctors are human and google medical degrees can help. For instance i went to urgent care during covid time. I had covid but hadnt been diagnosed yet. I had chicken pox as a kid and usually only old people with weakened immune systems get shingles. I got shingles at 30 and i looked up rashes similar to what i had on google and i went to the doctor and said hey i think this rash is shingles. The nurse who was like 65 ish looked at it and she thought it was shingles but the doctor who looked 30ish didnt think it was shingles. If i hadnt said I think this is shingles he might not have diagnosed me correctly. Also yah doctors memorize a ton of info in school and are more experienced but they are often desensitized to the patients personal struggles. If its not a cut and dry diagnosis the patient has the responsibility to advocate for themselves. The trip to the doctors office is a discussion about what can be done to fix an issue on bothe sides. Some diseases can be treated with diet and excercise or things like fevers dont necessarily need treatment if they are low and some bacterial infections dont necessarily require antibiotics. You have to be aware of your personal situation and how your decision affects you and others . Just to be clear im not anti medicine. I needed the shingles diagnosis to get antivirals prescribed and though the doctor wasnt sure it was a better safe than sorry thing because shingles can cause permanent nerve damage. But on the other hand I got strep throat and didnt take antibiotic for it because i had mild symptoms.
@@davidcarr9772 When I occasionally look things up on Google it's to give myself enough knowledge to ask those who handle my care the right questions. There's other ways to get medical information but you just need to know how to use it.
@@davidcarr9772 you don't need a medical degree to know you're in pain and that your finger that looks like it has been overcooked in a microwave then incinerated on a grill is fully dead and necrotic and that it hurts like hell. (All because the medical staff decided to ignore that you have circulation issues and neuropathy so you can't tape things super tight to one of your fingers without cutting off said circulation and killing the digit.) And also staff make mistakes. My Mom almost died because a Dr gave her a new med that contained something she is fatally allergic too (he simply forgot it contained it.) Then almost died because the nursing staff at the ER refused to believe her that she was dying because her allergy to it doesn't manifest in a typical way. She was also prescribed, by another Dr, a med that is known to aggravate diabetic sores. Despite them being rare for her, as she took good care of herself, she suddenly started to get covered in them. We found out by happening to see an ad for that med on TV and it being one of the listed side effects. Of memory serves (I was probably in like 7th or 8th grade at the time do it's been a while,) the side effect wasn't really well known and wasn't really added until later, so they honestly just didn't realize it was a side effect when prescribing it. Mistakes happen. 🤷♀️ Dr's are human too, and unless it's from outright negligence or refusal to help (like the medical staff in the 1st scenario,) it's understandable. It just suxks because when it comes to media care it can cause serious, even fatal, problems as a result.
I've seen a French tv show on people whom testified on how they got hooked. Having chronic pains, getting a prescription, and ending up scaming pharmacists around to get their drugs. Some pharmacists would play along ( I totally understand why). Then at point they realize something ain't right and discovered they're hooked on Opïods. Those drugs are addicted. There is something terribly wrong with that guest. And something else is telling me he's too smart to get in troubles. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
What he says about housing, childcare, etc coming from the drug war budget is correct, but it also needs to go towards rehab facilities. Portland, OR tried decriminalizing all drugs, but they did it without updating any of their infrastructure. The number and sizes of shelter, detox, and rehab facilities stayed the same. The situation there is horrible and has gotten much worse since they decriminalized. I would also say we cannot allow politicians to make decisions like this without consulting medical experts. It’s just sad. I’m pro-deregulation, but the infrastructure needs to be in place to actually HELP people.
Actually, because of the pandemic a lot of shelters, detox centers, and rehab facilities were also shut down. For example, during the pandemic the only Methadone clinic in my area was shut down, leaving a lot of people at risk. I agree that better infrastructure is needed.
I live in Canada and we decriminalized pretty much everything but didn't update or upgrade infrastructure (other than safe injection sites) and honestly it's gotten ridiculously out of hand. The good idea is there but the execution was very poor. I live near Vancouver and see how the system has failed us every day
commenting to boost this in the algorithm! this is a conversation i've had with many people who just aren't ready to buy it, but the evidence that we do have speaks for itself. i'm glad to see this talked about- it's such an important topic, and hopefully one society catches up on sooner rather than later.
I used opioids daily for years due to chronic pain. I had to quit because of the war on opioids and specifically oxycodone, which was the only opioid that mixed with my other medications and didn’t make me nauseous af. The withdrawals weren’t bad for me at all, which ofcourse doesn’t mean others will have a similar experience as me. Doctors told me take the max daily dose of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen for the pain, which I try not to do, because taking multiple drugs with known long term issues is much worse than the same dosage long acting oxycodone daily. In the end overdoses have only risen, so the problems weren’t prescriptions or bIg PhArMa, they were just the scapegoat for bad government policies.
Anyone of us working in a pharmacy knows the stress of the adderall shortage. To see people at their wits end just trying to get their meds is so frustrating. Especially in DE where there's a 7 day expiration on c2s. But the DEA claims no one has reached their limits so they are trying to pass the buck
I'm glad the school year wrapped up before the "sorry, the pharmacy is out and we don't even have any coming in from our supplier right now" phone call. But for adults with ADHD there is no summer break where being unmedicated is less of a hindrance.
Seeing all these horror stories about Adderall shortages brings back so many awful memories but also makes me feel so incredibly thankful that the local pharmacy I discovered a few years ago has never once been unable to fill my prescription.
My husband was a severe alcoholic for 20 years, as soon as marijuanawas legalized in WA state, he started smoking & immediately stopped drinking alcohol with minimal effects. He has been sober from alcohol for 4 years now! Placebo effect?? Maybe, either way he is healthier than he has ever been! He has had chronic pain for 30 years but absolutely refuses narcotic pain medication prescriptions. 🤷🏽♀️
What an amazing opportunity to learn something new. I can't wait to watch the entire interview. Thank you, Dr. Marino and Dr. Mike, for a great video!❤
I have narcolepsy and ADHD. When I was unable to get my Adderall, which treats both, my neurologist decided to try different medication’s that, I shit you not, cost thousands of dollars a month. One of them cost $16,000 for a one month supply. Another one cost $7000 for a one month supply. My insurance said they would cover a big portion of it but I would still have to come out of pocket for $2000. I learned later that’s because the insurance company has a deal with big Pharma and gets a discount where they’re not really paying thousands of dollars to cover it. I do not have $2000 a month. I contacted Nord, (National Organization for Rare Diseases) which helps with medication‘s. But because narcolepsy is so rare they did not have funding for it yet so they put me on a waiting list. By the time they received funding and could help me, I had already gotten to the top of the list from my pharmacy of people waiting for Adderall and got my one month supply. The American medical system is so jacked up. The way I do it now is even if I have plenty of Adderall I get a prescription every month and turn it in, that way when I do run out I finally get to the top of the waiting list and I’ll be able to get it filled. Without it I literally cannot function. I’m either having sleep attacks from my narcolepsy or I am unable to focus on anything because of my extreme ADHD. Something needs to change.
I'm a devoted coffee drinker and never went out of my buy a coffee mug. But After 45 years im going to buy my first mug and it will say..... 'coffee is a friend, not an enima.'
@@thegroovyhead ..... Lol.. I hadn't noticed my typo before you caught it. Thanks! And I did! Fortunately I had it spelled the right way too. A little expensive for a coffee mug ($15, I think) but it gets a lot of comments so I think it's worth doing once.
I know exactly why the DEA controls drugs without a medical consultant, the prison system is big business. The "war" on drugs is about the money, not helping people with their life problems, that lead to addiction.
You were talking about 'the people who want to take it will, whether it's legal or not', which is true... but nearly everybody I have ever met has tried alcohol because it is legal and 'normal'. A much smaller percentage of people have tried other drugs. Any legal drugs are more likely to be tried by more people.
My mother was a nurse at an old age home. She witnessed a colleague taking fentanyl patches off of dementia patients that needed pain meds and was licking them.
This is a nice video to see on this channel. I am all for legalization and harm reduction instead of our current messed up system where our "war on drugs" is just causing more deaths and filling up our jails and prisons.
I really like how you talked about ADHD medications and ADHD as a condition. I am in Australia, but even here I have experienced comments about my ADHD. People don't recognise enough that invisible illnesses are real. I have more than one, and the amount of times I have been gaslight but medical professionals because they didn't believe my conditions, or just thought it was just in my head. I have heard the comments about my adhd meds, people don't seem to understand that I need it to function, it is not just something I am addicted too, if it wasn't for my reminder, I would forget to take it😆
You’re absolutely right. I was telling my friend, it’s so relatable. But people may have one or two mental health issues… but we have them all, all at once. Would you agree?
thank you for posting this. unfortunately it takes a lot of guts to back this perspective, but its sososo important. this way of thinking needs to be publicized more. because of the war on drugs mentality this idea of harm reduction doesn't even cross the vast majority of people's minds. we're not gonna instantly get everyone to the point of 'legalize and regulate all drugs', but these things start a shift in the right direction.
I absolutely LOVE this. stop focusing on the drugs...and focus on the reason why people get addicted to them or use them as a coping mechanism. It's a MEDICAL issue...not a LEGAL issue.
It’s a legal issue when kids can get to the drugs that addict parents leave lying around. It’s a legal issue when the addicts are passed out in public spaces. It is a legal issue.
As a chronic pain patient. who often has issues getting my medication for various reasons such as shortages etc., I absolutely agree with everything Dr Ryan said!
The difference between dependence and addiction when talking about opioids is so important. Speaking from personal experience, many opiate addicts don't end up using to get high, but just to not feel sick. The withdrawals are so intense and all encompassing, and the worst part, the thing that makes people lie, steal, do things they would never do otherwise, is knowing that you can feel better, feel *normal* if you can just score. The idea of legalizing and regulating drugs like opiates seems really counterintuitive, but the data shows that it's an effective and attainable solution
I take Vyvanse and the strict stimulant regulations on how much you can get in one refill has really affected me. Realistically, I cannot function without my ADHD meds. I get horrible withdrawal symptoms and I stay in bed the whole day after missing a dose. I’m going on a 3 week vacation later this summer and I had to have a conversation with my mom about how I won’t have enough Vyvanse to last the whole trip, and we can’t refill during the trip because it is overseas. If I went without it, I’d be missing seeing my family and enjoying the trip because I would be struggling so much. So, the plan was to ration this refill and not take it every day so I can save up extra for the trip. This should not be necessary. The fear surrounding stimulant medications means that so many people do not have access to literal life changing treatments.
I use drugs, but as a kid I wasn't allowed to take any adhd meds because my mom is a special Ed teacher and believed most people can learn to cope with enough patience, and I got better at stuff. Definitely easier to take the meds but idk
The proposal he has is already done in other countries and the data shows that less people die of overdose, and overall quality of life is better, and its easier for them to get help to quit when the law isn't after you.
Mike, I am so glad you had Ryan on your show. I've been saying for years now all drugs need to be legalized, and the way Ryan explains this is a perfect example as to why. He has so much knowledge to share with people about this issue who need to understand it better. I absolutely love the guests you choose to talk with.☺️ Does anyone want to make any predictions what changes would occur if they were all legalized? I'd love to hear some. ❤️ Lilly
I dont know what to think about regulating drugs. 1 because I'm not intelligent on the matter. 2 because I'm so emotionally affected by drug use that it's hard to think logically instead of emotionally. My best friend died in 2019 from fentanyl. He was using heroin (which he never told me, but I had started to suspect) and he got a bad batch.. I miss him terribly still today. He was the person who knew me. Really, knew me. And still cared. I'll never allow myself to feel that attached to someone again. My brother used heroin on and off after initially starting his addiction with morphine. He lied, stole and manipulated people to support his addiction. He is very smart, 4.0 GPA and generally a good person. But I've seen what heroin does to people. It rewires their brain into thinking they need the drug to function, its just as important to them as air in their lungs.. I can't imagine heroin being regulated, "used properly" or what that would even look like. I don't even like marijuana. It's mentally addicting to people who use it to treat mental illnesses. Mental illness is so common and most people aren't even willing to accept that they have some form of it. My father used marijuana as treatment for a lot of his issues and he "couldnt" run out of it. I went through a something similar as well. He would become more abusive and he would get sick without his fix. Physically and mentally. Alcohol is so poisonous as well. To people that are addicts and to people that aren't. Do you know how many people say that they're told by their DOCTOR that they can drink while pregnant and breastfeeding? They aren't willing to put the alcohol down for themselves, their children or anybody. When they're faced with an opposing view or a different opinion the claws come out. They defend their drinking like their life depends on it. I've spoken to so many mothers and mothers to be that have no idea alcohol can be harmful. Doctors argue about whether it's safe or not to drink while breastfeeding. So if there is any possibility that it isn't safe, why even take the chance? They may have an addiction that they aren't even aware of. I wish all of it could just go away. Go get high on life. Living, helping and supporting others. The smile of your child. Making memories. Singing, dancing, exercising. Anything but these dangerous cheap fixes! ❤
I agree. My community has been devastated by drug use. To your point, alcohol is regulated, yet drunk driving is still a prevalent issue. Legalization and weak regulation is not the best solution.
I actually did some research into needle exchange programs in prisons. This is a harm reduction approach to prevent blood borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C from spreading in prisons where IV drug use is common. This research was based off data from about 10 countries where needle exchange programs had been implemented for roughly 20 years. There was no case where drug use increased in the prisons post the program beginning, and in some prisons, drug use decreased due to increased accessing and interaction with medical staff and addiction programs.
I firmly believe that all drugs should be decriminalised and regulated in the same way alcohol is. However, we should offer education and harm minimisation around drug use. In the same way that abstinence is not sufficient or effective sex education, scaremongering is not effective in keeping people safe around drugs. People should be encouraged to acknowledge if their drug use (including alcohol) is becoming problematic.
I both agree and disagree. Drugs should be decriminalized, as well as regulated. Education should be offered. But fearmongering is a proven method of postponing first exposure to drugs (mostly alcohol) in younger people, and early usage has a strong correlation to the development of addiction. This is because the brain on puberty is significantly more prone to addiction. As such, education on drugs is, in my opinion, quite a bit more difficult. You want to teach the children safe ways to use drugs for when they are older, but they need to be heavily discouraged from using at a younger age because both their decision making has not fully developed yet and their risks are significantly larger.
@@joebidenstan true, but still we're using fearmongering to keep kids away from alcohol and tobacco despite the age restrictions. It's even recommended in the relevant scientific literature to do so
The same people who argue this are so inconsistent when they say the US have so many chemicals in the food and how Europe has better regulations on food. Or the augment against flavored tobacco or vape. You can’t be that selective on your wishes for less protection from the government.
This was a super interesring conversation, very complexe with different opinions and very respectful. I loved it! It made me think about this all so I could form a more develloped opinion and thought of it :) Amazing stuff!
Thank you for talking about the Adderall shortage and mentioning some of the very real risks associated with untreated ADHD. I’ve been impacted by the shortage. So have other people in my community. Meds don’t solve all are problems, sure, but they’re a very important tool. For many folks with ADHD, going without our meds for an extended period of time can greatly impact our livelihoods, relationships, quality of life, etc. I’d like to see a dedicated video on the topic. Get more eyes on this. Also… maybe introduce Adderall FIRST as an ADHD med, instead of leading with how college students may recognize it. We have enough trouble with stigma as it is. >_>
Yeah I didn’t appreciate the college students comment. My son has ADHD and used to take concerta until he stopped gaining weight since it affected his appetite. We switched to a non stimulant. My brother takes adderall and is in his late 40s. So just because some people misuse it, we don’t need to add further stigma…coming from the medical community no less
I have ADHD too and went the non stimulant route. And it helps but from what I hear of others’ opinions, stimulants are more effective. Have you tried both? Comparably, what’s your opinion?
I'm currently suffering with untreated ADHD, BECAUSE of the stigma around it. My parents are very traditional and don't even like me having caffeine because of it being a stimulant, but I've noticed that I function better with caffeine in my system. I always joked that I had an addiction, but I've noticed recently that I've been self-medicating to help with my ADHD symptoms. Getting a prescription for something like Adderall would have been a life saver for me, but at 19 years old I'm now having to fight for access to some form of medication which would increase my quality of life drastically
@@taylorkat8614 if caffeine helps you then a stimulant would probably be really helpful for you. And it would have a consistent dose, which you won't get with caffeine. My son took a stimulant and it really helped him but he went off it since it affected his appetite and he is still growing so needed to eat more. He is on a non stimulant that works OK, but not as well as the stimulant. Adderall is not the only one- ritalin and concerta are popular and work well. See your doctor and mention your concerns to them. They will hopefully steer you to something that can help. Good luck!
The issue with the stimulant shortage is affecting so many people. It almost feels like we are going backwards 30 years to when parents were ridiculed or called lazy for treating their children’s psychiatric disorders with prescribed medication. I’ve been affected by the shortage also, and it’s dangerous for me to do my work without it. Learning that there are no medical professionals involved with the DEA is both enraging and heartbreaking. I wish we could change the stigma 😢
theres been a shortage on antibiotics once in the US when i needed it a few years ago for a right ear infection. i get them in that ear so much it's considered a chronic issue, possibility of going deaf in that ear if i don't get antibiotics when i get another one. honestly i was told the shortage that i dealt with was because the companies wouldn't supply it when they could have to a lot of places. i never found out if it was true but it is scary when you can't get what you need. i know it's been some time but i hope it was fixed for people like you who need it.
@@izoraiza7169also the research on antibiotics is mostly stagnant because they're not very profitable for drug companies to invest money into. Drug resistance certainly doesn't help the profit incentive. We're truly one superbug away from hell on earth.
I was addicted to hydrocodone for around 8 years. I was injured at work and my hip and my spine were severely damaged. I had to relearn how to walk kind of damage. I was having severe nerve pain when I got out of the hospital and they gave me hydrocodone to help the pain. I was in my 20s at the time and I had no knowledge about addiction or the dangers of taking the medication and quitting it instantly. After being on the medication for over 7 years I started noticing that I felt worse when I didn't take the medication then I did before I was prescribed the drug. Like horrible horrible bouts of the runs, cold sweats and trouble sleeping. The feeling that my nerves were over sensitive to every single touch. Sounds mild until you realize I wanted to die to get the feeling of my nerves being on fire to stop. It drives you crazy. You can't sleep, eat or sit or stand or lie down... That kind of crazy. I spent 2 weeks in rehab to get clean and I'm laughing at myself now because that was 20 years ago. I've been clean since and recently I've been prescribed oxycodone after my spinal surgery the 31st of last month. 2 10 mg pills every 4 hours for 5 days... Yea I didn't take even 1 a day after the surgery and it's the 13th. I still have 22 in the bottle of 30 originally. I type this to explain WHY I feel comfortable even being around that medicine after I spent 2 weeks in rehab to get off the stuff. I can take them in moderation (1 every 2 days or so) and I don't get that euphoric high that I got with Hydrocodone. I get sleepy. REALLY sleepy lol. I don't WANT to take them. I only take them when the pain from the surgery gets unbearable and the Ibuprofen isn't helping. That being said I do honestly think that if I had of known about the addicting properties of hydrocodone and had been prescribed one every 2 days to start instead of 3 a day and had been told that if I want to stop to wean myself off instead of flushing them and going cold turkey the situation would have been different. So yea I have a hard time believing that someone can take heroine and be fine without any addiction what-so-ever. If everyone could then we wouldn't have a heroine problem.
i work in supportive housing in NYC and i do know people who use drugs safely and recreationally, and are functioning members of society. love this video
I would love to hear him speak about the brain changes that happen due to drug use. I learned so much in my Brain and Behavior course during our drug lecture.
This conversation is so important. I got addicted to opiods in college because a doctor said they were "basically stronger tylenol." I quickly got hooked and then when I talked to the doctor they stopped me cold turkey and didn't inform me of any rehabs or institutions to help. After I began to detox, I turned to street drugs in order to halt the painful detox. Luckily I had a friends who stepped in and got me the help I needed. After completing rehab I have witnessed a deficit in not only the common public, but medical professionals having a skewed view on drugs, and drug addicts. After being sober from opiates for about a year and a half, I woke up one day with a sudden and severe back pain that was also affecting my right leg. The doctor at the ER refused to help because I was "drug seeking", which he assumed after reading I had a past with drug addiction. Even though I had been sober a full year and a half He still accused me of seeking drugs. He laughed when I asked him for help or something to stop the amount of pain I was in because it was excruciating. I was sent home after being given tylenol, which I had already informed them I had taken the maximum daily amount at one prior that day without any relief. He informed me that pain was not a emergency issue and I would just have to live in that pain. I wasn't referred to a spine specialist, bone doctor, or pain management clinic because all he saw was an addict looking for drugs even though I was simply there for an issue that would be later looked into at one of SIX hospitals I had to go to to be seen and heard. They finally set me up with doctors and pain management but finally it ended once I was told my only option left was opiates because chiropractors, physical therapy, heat & ice, steroids, NSAIDS, benzodiazepines, nerve blocks, and nerve pain medications didn't work. They said that I was simply too young to be temporarily put on the pain medication even though my pain was excruciating enough for them to consider opiates. But my age mitigated me getting these meds even though it was the last treatment option. I just want to point out the misinformation that people often use to deny help to addicts or people they label as drug seeking. I am now afraid of doctors and hospitals because of how I was treated when I hurt my back. When I needed help I was just labeled as an addict and told they wouldn't give me drugs even though I was asking for help and a solution, but drugs. I simply wanted to know why I had this sudden debilitating pain that affected my walking. But I want given that at all. Risk reduction is incredibly important for the health and wellbeing of individuals who have been caught in the grasp of addiction and do not currently have the strength to overcome this disease. It saves lives and reduces the spread of HIV and other blood borne illnesses that are spread in addiction due to lack of clean resources. Narcan being passed around is incredibly helpful because it can be administered if you believe someone is having an overdose and if they aren't, it *should* do no harm because of its lack of contraindications. If they did need it it should help reverse the overdose to some extent until EMS can arrive for further interventions.
I Agree with his assessment that if we make drugs legal that it will stop a lot of problems. People will do the drugs either way making it legal just makes it so that they feel safe going to someone for help when they need it.
So the whole system is FUCKED up.... thanks for clearing that up. I'm so glad they are educating us but boy is this frustrating to hear. It's nice to hear people actually tell the truth. Thanks drs!!
Thank you for discussing the topic of harm reduction. I got on methadone a couple years ago and it saved my life. I was a homeless heroin addict. I was literally on the verge of death. I only take methadone and cannabis now. I am so grateful that cannabis is legal in my state. It is much easier to use it responsibly and maximize the medicinal benefits.
@@apexnext it is always refreshing to know that I'm not alone, especially on a platform like this. I'm on a fraction of the dose I was on for a couple years. It has actually been easier than I thought it would
@@jevinday yeah I try to bring it up everywhere I can. Everyday conversations like at a gas station and online like here. I'm glad you arnt afraid to talk about it so openly. That's how we help change that stigma! The emotional aspect did hit me hard recently as my dose got much much lower. As it was explained to me, my brain has had the opiates to deal with emotions for decades. Now it's trying to reprogram and deal with those problems I'd been avoiding without the opiate buffer now. Like you said it's definitely easier than I thought it would be, especially with support. I've got a great Counslor. Oh also i try to bring this up for people like us. If you can, get to a primary care doctor and have your testosterone checked! Even as my life got better i was very tired all the time. Low energy. No drive. I thought I was just broken cuz of the previous lifestyle. But a lifetime of opiates and even methadone can affect Testosterone levels! I was only 35 years old and my T level was 27. Normal levels are 300-600 apparently. 🤣 It gave me my personality back. Gave me energy again. It was the missing piece in my recovery in a lot of ways! So many of the Low T symptoms sort of share with the opiate/methadone symptoms, so check with your doctor if you can!
@@apexnextalso opiates do affect your bodies ability to produce testosterone so I think all recovering addicts should be tested because the symptoms of PAWS and low Test. can easily be confused.
I am a doctor and was at a movie theater when a young woman collapsed in the lobby. I went over to see if I could help and she had the classic signs of an opioid overdose. She had a lot of secretions but her pulse was strong, but when the cop showed up and I asked him for narcan, he wouldn’t touch her because he was afraid it might be fentanyl and he didn’t want to OD on it. So I had to just monitor her vitals and put her in the recovery position until ems showed up and would actually treat her.
So the misinformation is actively harming people.
Must be a big city thing. My small town cops are trained to actually administer the narcan.
@@twistedpuppetOG “trained to” and “willing to” are two different things
Yeah you can’t overdose from fentanyl from touching it or being around it.
@@twistedpuppetOG nope. This was in a suburb. Not a small town, but not a city by any means.
@@merchillio yeah I’m sure he was probably trained to. He just didn’t want to because he was afraid of getting the fentanyl on him lol. Never mind he was watching me touch her with my bare hands without any problems.
My friend’s teenage daughter died from street Xanax. The kid who got it for her ended his life out of guilt. This conversation is so important.
I stuck a needle in a guy once and it was too much for him. If my friend wouldn't have had narcan on him he would have died. I don't know where I would be today if it would have went different. I definitely wouldn't be sober. Probably wouldn't be alive.
But you know it won't happen because people are fragile and want to be told it'll be OK if we do x without looking into the issue further. They don't care how it's done, they just want to feel better. God were a bunch of wusses.
That is so tragic
This was the exact moment that addicts died of an overdose
Well you understand it was contaminated with some other drug right? Lethal Xanax dose is crazy high. Still, poor kid...
I like how it's a calm, collected, professional conversation. Neither of the men is getting angry at the other. They're respectfully listening to one another and providing evidence-based reasons as to why or why not.
Absolutely. In spite on some non-sens that was presented.
Because it isn't social media.. disrespecting someone to their face in person has consequences.. too many people are comfortable disrespecting people on the web
because these people are actually educated on the situation and arent like the average podcast host that believes everything they read
@@njord452 And who aren't closed minded and super biased. Having a bias is normal but one that makes you closed to anything else is harmful.
Evidence based? Really?😂 I mean when this guy claims “almost most of heroin users don’t have addiction to it”, he’s evidence is literally “I know plenty of people”.😂😂😂 There is no statistic result mentioned, no paper referenced, what kind of doctor is that
I really appreciate that Dr. Mike doesn't just automatically agree with everything the other gentleman says, but asks questions in respectful way
Agreed. It was an interesting dynamic of the interview. Dr Mike has wonderful objection handling skills.
If he didn’t he definitely wouldn’t be worth anyone’s time
Yes! Honestly his way of having non judgmental conversations makes it seem like he would be an excellent doctor for a patient to trust and be open with.
Did you get weirded out when Dr Marino was talking about heroin or was it just me?
@sashalynn6087 omg yes.. I went into this ready to nod my head for half an hour in agreement but that really threw me off.
My bff was in a lot of pain because of a car accident when she was 29. She went through many surgeries but was never cured of pain. She made the mistake of filling a hydro prescription from a different doctor (because she had a fall and couldn't see her normal doctor at the time) not to long after she got one from her normal doctor. They put her on a list, and after that, no matter what she felt or what they put her through, she was denied any pain relief. 4 years, and many conversations with her doctor pleading him to help her in any way possible because they couldn't fix her, she couldn't take it anymore. She found someone to buy percocet from. These pills were way stronger than what she would have been given from her doctor, but it was all she could find. She was desperate for relief. 1 year later, she had become addicted to them. Not too long after I started noticing a problem, I got a call at 8 am on Jun 20th from her husband saying she passed away in the night. Her heart finally gave out from all the strain the pills put on it. I was so angry. This was not who she was. This all started because she was in true, real pain, and no one cared. I'm watching this video as the 1 year anniversary of her death approaches. I miss her so much. I do not blame her or judge her. I feel that she was failed by her doctors. Things could have gone so differently. RIP Allison 🙏 ❤
Yeah, a lot of doctors like to think they know what pain feels like because they read a textbook written by someone else who's never experienced pain other than maybe a pulled muscle and now thinks that make them an expert
God bless, that’s terrible news to hear!
I'm sorry for your loss, and for the injustice done to her. 💗
Being in chronic pain puts you at a greater risk for heart disease. She would probably be alive today if the Dr just prescribed her the normal pain medicine, and monitered her usage. I'm sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your lose and the medical mismanagement that was the cause of it. RIP Allison, and to those who loved her, I hope they are at peace with her passing.
The DEA having no medical personnel yet still being allowed to say what medicines can and can't be legalized is a major problem
That isn't the DEA, thats the FDA.
@@Flakjacket96 i think you should consider watching the video before telling someone they're wrong
@@Flakjacket96 "Proceedings to add, delete, or change the schedule of a drug or other substance may be initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or by petition from any interested party"
To be completely fair; the DEA has a say but they do not have the final say in all cases. DHHS and the FDA can still make the decision to authorize the use of drugs the DEA has explicitly controlled which is why you can still get Morphine legally in a hospital but not at 7/11. The DEA is a regulator and enforcement agency but their power is limited by federal laws which oversee their regulatory power. This law is called the CSA or Controlled Substances Act. The CSA does not authorize the DEA to ban a drug, only to control its manufacturing and distribution to ensure it is RX only.
The doctor in the video did mention that you can do things like take heroin without harming yourself, so on his own merits you cannot trust what he is saying. Clearly injecting unknown substances made in an unknown non-sterile way even with a known sterile needle and cleaned injection site is never going to be without harm. He also says there is no heroin which is clearly untrue because heroin is extremely easy to produce from opium poppy plants and fentanyl is extremely hard to produce because it is entirely synthetic. I worked at a manufacturing plant where we produced most of the opioid narcotics available for use in the United States and I can assure you that heroin is readily made by someone with very little chemical knowledge. Even your morphine is made by someone with no science background at all. However, the Fentanyl is made only by highly qualified scientists who are the best in their fields. Fentanyl is extremely common these days, but that doesn't mean that heroin doesn't exist.
FDA controls the approval of new drugs to market. The DEA controls the way drugs are distributed ie legally vs street.
It's definitely a good way to get people that used adderall to look for other sources like meth. Then prosecute those people to keep your job security. I mean look what happened with oxy prescriptions. People ran out and went to the street.
I love when somebody with a really specific specialization and passion is able to explain things about it in detail
Found the Chiroquacktor!
Why is it always the crazy people commenting on comments?
Same:) Ryan's response to heroin use was great but I had to laugh because he was trying so hard to explain it in a way to be correct but respectful at the same time. It took his a moment tho to think about how he wanted to respond tho lol
@@CMT_Crabbles It’s like writing on a bathroom wall: people can express wild, wrong, or goofy things while having some anonymity. Not that I, whose name is I, would ever approve of such.
@@CMT_Crabbles He responded the same thing on one of my comments. I'm about 90% sure it's a bot or a sad basement troll.
I had to explain to my buddy who genuinely thought fentanyl was basically a chemical weapon. To add some background information, I am a registered nurse who handles fentanyl on a frequent basis. My buddy who is was in the police academy, was told it's this nefarious killer that would connect you to God's wifi if you even got a whiff. I'll put on gloves for transdermal patches, but anything else I'll use my bare hands because I'm equipped with something called keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, also known as skin. Its pretty good at preventing things from getting in your blood
Exactly! I'm on Fentanyl transdermal patches for pain (I'm in the UK) and when I've been watching US TV shows or news the way they react to it terrifies me!
I agree that the "reactions" they were having were purely panic/anxiety attacks, or even the "Nocebo" effect mentioned in the beginning of this video.
@@cfromnowherehey Catherine, just one question, is any of the fentanyl that you administer in a powder form?
It doesn't come in little baggies like to buy off the street. A lot of times, people get a patch or lollipop. It might be different in the UK but in the US they usually don't give liquid fentanyl unless it's for end of life care. Also she said she's on a patch
I had to be given strong pain medicine in emergency and when they first mentioned fentanyl I freaked out thinking I was going to die 😂 and I'm all the way over in Aus.
This is important information and an important conversation. I appreciate two licensed, practicing, medical professionals having this discussion "in front of us."
Hello Dianne
How are you doing?
I am so grateful that you highlighted this issue on your channel. I work in drug prevention and the misinformation out there is so scary and keeps people (including first responders) from providing help when someone needs it. There are law enforcement officers in my area trying to combat this misinformation, and it just feels like such an uphill battle. I'm grateful for the reach your platform provides. Thank you!
Thanks, friend! I had a blast talking with you and I think (and hope) people will learn something and think a little differently about drugs.
I like to see the human side of this issue be taken seriously. My brother died and thankfully was brought back with narcan from an overdose of fentanyl from pills he bought on the street. He's had chronic pain his whole life from a birth defect, multiple surgeries that failed to help/made it worse, countless physical therapists and orthopedic specialists, nothing helped him live a normal life anywhere near as effectively as narcotic pain medication. But his doctor cut him off a few years ago and he's desperate to be able to work and have a social life again. It's hard to hear people write narcotics and users off as just dumb addicts who need to be saved instead of fellow people with worth and nuance.
Yesssss. I’m so sorry about your brother! I too live with chronic pain that is barely managed by a very low dose of an opioid that hasn’t changed in 10 years. My psychiatrist has even told my pain management that my pain is NOT under control but I’m just thankful it’s not been cut off and I dare not complain. I would not be able to cope without my pain meds. I would be on the street as well. 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
🎯
I'm so sorry and agree with you 100 times over.
I wrote a paper on this topic in College. Countries like Portugal are proof that decriminalization, safe use facilities, and better treatment programs are a better alternative to the war on drugs.
I wrote a paper on Portugal in college too!
Some addicts in the Netherlands go there for treatment
War on drugs exists for 2 reasons, money and racism.
@@companymen42 money definitely, racism I’m not sure about that. Drugs take lives of all sorts of people.
@@HuntersHunt They're saying the war on drugs is racist, not drugs themselves.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for covering this topic!! I work in harm reduction and the stigma surrounding drugs and drug use is still so prevalent and the misinformation is HORRENDOUS. I'm so glad to see this coming from a popular and respected medical professional!
Regarding shortages: I have narcolepsy. Several years ago there was a Ritalin shortage. I also have ADHD. That means that neurologically, I am somewhat resistant to the stimulating effects of Ritalin. They don't act like they would on someone without ADHD. Therefore I needed slightly higher doses (maximum 90mg per day), and I needed the Instant Release variant to to several other factors. Other drugs didn't help and I would often suffer for 1-3 weeks because of the shortages.
Another fail: Xyrem was released as an Orphan drug for narcolepsy. I started this a few years after it came out.
Guess what that drug is? GHB / sodium oxybate. Works WONDERS for REM suppression in narcolepsy. But it cost $32,000 - $40,000 per year!!
I studied chemistry. I could make a few gallons for what they were charging for a monthly amount. I mean obviously that's illegal, but it's freaking extortion.
I have narcolepsy too. I work at a pharmacy and have always been adamant to avoid adderall and methylphenidate due to the shortages. I take modafinil and xywav now. You are not alone
I have narcolepsy, too. The shortage on Adderall meant I was taking a dose that was much lower than I needed just so I could make it last all month and only one pharmacy had any, which wasn't covered by my insurance.... Not a great situation. I was just switched to Armodafinil, but I also have Adhd and it's not enough for the adhd and I'm having worse reactions to it... The shortage on drugs and the fact that insurances can decide to just not cover the dosage you need is insane.
@lynningram4218 I tried modafinil for narcolepsy several times, and it gave me headaches every night and after a month I'd feel awful 😖 unfortunate, considering it worked very well.
Now I'm on nothing 😅 and routinely fall asleep at work.
The markup is absolutely insane, profiteering ceo's wouldn't be allowed near health care or pharms
I'm glad to see that fentanyl "overdose" video debunked on a channel this large. The misconception that you can overdose just by being near or touching fentanyl is way too common.
That's so stupid wtf
yea, until i watched this video, I thought it was true too. being a senior in high school, all you teachers are trying to warn you about drugs in college and stuff like that and were putting a huge emphasis on fentanyl and were basically saying that being within a foot of it is deadly. i think highlighting the dangers that it poses but being REALISTIC is what they should be striving for, not just telling people dont get close to it or you're gonna die
Thankyou!!!! Omg!!!
If it were true, no dealer/black market manufacturer would risk handling the stuff.
I'm slightly confused on what he said though because in the medical field it can hurt you that's why you have to wear gloves when applying it. Powder won't do that I am assuming is what he means but the patches you NEED to wear gloves.
200% agree. As a chronic pain patient and mom of kids with ADHD, policy changes have controlled and at times wrecked our ability to access a decent quality of life more bc than our doctors, our habits, or anything else.
Same. I have ADHD, and have a spinal cord injury. If you try to have your prescription changed to where you know they have it, the doctor can lose their ability to prescribe controlled substances
Yep I have fibromyalgia and something as simple as lidocaine patches can be hard for me to get due to insurance. They say it has to be for lower back pain and my pain is in my hips. Every few years they start denying my prescription and then the nurses have to reword it and prescribe for low back pain to get it reinstated. Meanwhile I’m without them and in more pain. My son also has ADHD and when he was on a stimulant we had to wait until he was on his last two pills (they would only fill for 28 days…like only one month has that few days, give me a 30 day supply!), then go pick up the written prescription, take it to the pharmacy and then they would fill it. Then they started allowing it to be called into the pharmacy rather than us picking up a paper one. Still only 28 days and only a couple days before he ran out. I’m so glad he’s how switched to a non stimulant as he gets refills on it and it can be called in. So much easier. But it’s like, it’s hard enough having a condition like that, and then you make it so difficult to get the medication. I can’t imagine him as an adult actually being able to handle it all- remembering when to call for a refill, going and getting the paper copy- I’m hoping he will either not need the meds when older or will be able to stay on a non stimulant
I have fibromyalgia and my doctors office decided they were going to change their policy on how many pills they would give for any controlled substances. They didn't tell me this until I went to pick up my prescriptions from the pharmacy and they had cut my Lyrica dosage in half!!! I am so mad I could scream. My pain level has been the through the roof. I am going to be looking for a new doctor.
I have ADHD too, I do non stimulant treatment, and from what I hear of others’ experience, non stimulant medication is not as effective. Did you try both? What was your opinion?
@@amypetersen1668 you're lucky that something besides Adderall works. You are correct, it is absolute hell to have to get Adderall refills.
Honestly as a former addict I completely agree with what he’s saying. If you legalize these, decriminalize them and regulate them, so many people will stop dying.
but then the genocide aint working ;)
People always look at me like im outta my mind when i say 'legalize all drugs'
but the garbage needs to go in the bin its OK
They failed that in Portland. Unfortunately they were focused on the effect and forgot the work it would take. They have almost no support there
@@SassyStrawberry1 it needs to be federally regulated, kind of like with alcohol or marijuana where it’s legal (even though that’s not regulated federally) I just think if they take all these steps before they legalize things than it could help people from dying when they think they have cocaine or heroin and it ends up being fentanyl or something stronger
I appreciate this guy, it's such a hard subject to speak out about because people are so firmly set in their beliefs around drugs and safe use .. appreciate mike for having such an open mind ❤
watching my husband suffer without his ADHD meds has been heartbreaking. now hearing the "why" has me shaking with rage.
thank you for this video. even as a recovering opioid addict with close to 7 years of sobriety under my belt, i 100000000% agree with legalizing and then regulating all drugs. people will do what they want to do anyway. keep them safe in the process
I think the reason people don't want legalization in part has to do with them actively wanting addicts to suffer as punishment or just not caring if they do.
I wonder what you mean by regulation. Things like Adderall & fentanyl are regulated.
@@rustynails8756 exactly. but not all drugs are regulated like that, and the regulations themselves need a huge overhaul
@@rustynails8756yeah but if you legalize recreational drugs you remove the black market, like what happened with alcohol.
Time stamp for them explaining the ADHD med shortage?
I was ignorant and believed what I was told about the dangers of simple exposure. Now I'm informed. Thank you. Fear is our nation's greatest threat.
Yikes
@@goodman854 you are a very smart man for thinking to logic and reasoning and not to fear and rallying and mindless repitition
I've found the most rare things anyone can witness in the RUclips comment section.
Im an EMT. Im so tired of fentanyl misinformation. People will SUFFER as opposed to letting us give them fentanyl.
You’d think they’d understand that medical fentanyl and street fentanyl, is not the same. But honestly, if someone doesn’t want a drug, it shouldn’t be forced on them. I’m all for proper pain management (SCI with severe nerve pain) but not everyone responds the same way. I’ve had fentanyl and morphine, several times, during and post-surgery, and I hate both. They don’t help with pain and make me feel horribly sick.
I'm a hospice nurse and have literal dying people in horrible pain because of cancer or whatever terminal illness, refuse pain meds because the media has terrified them when it comes to opioids. They are either terrified we will accidentally kill them, even though we have more knowledge about how to use those meds than the vast majority of medical providers, or they are afraid they will get addicted, even though they won't live long enough for that to matter even if they did.
True dat, I have spinal stenosis on top of other disabilities & medical issue's, pain & fatigue is the story of my life & wld rather DIE than get any opiates despite them being very much needed, justified & low key an absolute.
I'm from Portugal, one doctor here saw the effects drugs were having on the community, and how villainizing and ostracizing drugs users led to an increase in drug related deaths. His solution? Decriminalization. The result:
Drug-related deaths have remained below the EU average since 2001
The proportion of prisoners sentenced for drugs has fallen from 40% to 15%
Rates of drug use have remained consistently below the EU average
Decriminalization is not the same as legalization though. I support decriminalizing it. But I don't agree with Dr. Ryan about legalizing it.
As someone with a chronic illness (IBD), in response to the pharma and healthcare system mistreating us, I can confirm. COVID absolutely played a factor in healthcare providers being so tired and overwhelmed that I’ve had providers who have forgotten to check up on me after needing significant medical help (i.e. had significant IBD flare). I also am required to take a biologic medication every 2 months, and if I had no insurance, I would be out 180,000 a year. That is more than triple the amount that minimum wage workers make in a year. There need to be regulations that control the amount of profit made by those companies such that it’s directly proportional to the research cost. I’ve also had the issue of adderall shortage affect me, I only was able to find a 2 week supply that I had to ration for one month while calling quite nearly 100 pharmacies who all did not have it, which resulted in a change in medication altogether, which only added more stress to the process.
At the end of the day medical professionals need to be involved in the discussion and development of the legislature that guides the processes for all of the issues that were discussed, mainly in the arena of pharmaceutical production and in the regulation of pharmaceutical companies’ pricing (proportional to their direct costs which should be involved in the regulation process that is guided by medical professionals) for the drugs that so many need to either function properly or to literally STAY ALIVE. I should not have a financial barrier prevent me from receiving lifesaving care, including medication. It’s disgusting, it’s greedy, it’s harmful to the majority of people.
In all of these discussions and situations, the priority needs to be the health of individuals first and foremost, no exceptions, with (which should be minimal, necessary [i.e. regulated pricing for further development based on audits/analysis of costs]) profit being on the farthest back burner.
Try a Canadian pharmacy like Big Mountain. 😊
So in short, everything is broken in our nation. Not a single system that is set up to "benefit anyone" is actually benefiting anyone. Thank you for this episode, Dr. Mike. We need more things like this.
Sad but true
Yep, pretty much.
Quite the exaggeration
Pretty much lol.
I mean the American military does it's job perfectly. The United States has had zero fear of foreign invasion or war on their turf for nearly a hundred years now, and through it's protection has extended the same benefits to the rest of North America and Western Europe.
The only problem with that one is its become so dominant culturally and politically that it chokes out the funding for basically every other social program.
Honestly, if Fentanyl was as bad as police make it out to be, we would be seeing doctors and nurses dropping down left and right in hospitals and nursing homes. 🙄
Yes.
Street fentanyl is very different from the fentanyl used by doctors and nurses in hospitals.
@@melvinelder3587 It still isn't magical contagious murder powder.
@@darthplagueis13 agreed. It’s bad if you take it. Not really all that dangerous other wise.
@@melvinelder3587 you still aren't dropping by just being in a general vicinity of it. Unless you are licking it or ingesting it in some form, it's NOT gonna make you pass out
Drug users and ex drug users have been saying those videos of cops are bunk for YEARS. And they were all called liars.
Exactly. If it were true, EMTs, nurses, and doctors would be dropping like flies everywhere lol
The AMA needs to push for MD's on the DEA
This was very insightful and this was the first time I’ve actually heard understandable and justifiable reasons to legalize drug use! I didn’t realize the DEA was the reason for the adderall shortage, it has been a crazy year and made many lives so much more difficult than needed! Glad you did this, thank you both for your invaluable insight!
I have a BS-Pharm. I definitely agree with Dr. Marino's ideas. I am surprised I did not know DEA has no medical personnel. Ridiculous. And as clinicians, it would be nice to have a pharmacist in the room.
I've been yelling that from the rooftop for years! Legalize all drugs, regulate them, and then you can TAX THE SH!T out of them.
Exactly, plus less people will die. But if only politicians were smart....
also: triple the punishment for anything done while intoxicated. i really don't like it when people get off with lesser penalties if they are drunk on purpose. not my problem if you don't have yourself under control. make sure that someone is taking care of you and prevents you from doing bad things.
Drugs ruin lives. They make people abusive in some cases, they break families, send people into debt. making absolutely everyone able to access them is very dangerous because people who wouldn’t even be exposed to it can just buy it. Meth isn’t going to help ANYONE you can die taking it once. What is happening? I’m confused?
I didn’t watch the video lol
@@izzy-vn7tn well, you have every right not to educate yourself.
I think it's horrible that an agency that has no medical personnel can make laws about medications. I feel bad for all of the people who legitimately need Adderall and can't get it because of the DEA. There should be a class action lawsuit against them!
100%. The problem is also undertreating and accusing others of not legitimately needing it. That’s exactly what the DEA does. They are harming people who need these drugs claiming that because so many suddenly “need” to that their needs must not be legitimate. But they are making these assumptions and judgments without clinicians, doctors, or experts. They have no idea what they are doing and no idea what they are talking about.
The government should have NO business in your healthcare decisions, or the prescriptions, treatments, therapies, or procedures you need. That decision should always be between the patient and their doctor(s).
As a generic adderall user for the past 11 years, I agree with you 100%!! It is criminal to take something from someone who depends on it for normal day to day functions that is monitored and prescribed by a MEDICAL professional!!! I cannot tell you how terrifying it is when I can see the bottom of my prescritpion bottle each month and know I have to start making 100s of calls, praying that someone got lucky and got a shipment in! It is debilitating every single month!
@@anne-mariemillet2823I was on adderall for like 15 years. I had to switch to Ritalin this year because refilling my prescription became literal hell.
I take Adderall to be able to function on a daily basis.
The amount of hate, bias and dismissal by other people for my condition is horrifying.
I feel like I've been bullied all my life.
I was on adderall half my life. My life got better when I stopped taking it. It zombified me.
Thank you!!!!!! I’ve been hated in for calling this out but only lately have people started learning but still don’t question the person who pretended to OD.
Thank you so much for discussing ADHD. A lot of women specifically (including myself) went undiagnosed for years. I literally never even questioned it for myself until I found out my daughter had ADHD. I do believe the rise in diagnoses comes from continued education and awareness around it (alongside many not so truthful people saying they have it just to get medication).
As a former pharmacy tech who has ADHD and takes Adderall, the Adderall shortage makes me so angry. Pharmacies don't have the ability to determine whether or not the person getting their prescription filled has a legitimate diagnosis; they fill scripts in the order that they get them. If the DEA thinks the increase in demand is caused by an increase in illegitimate prescriptions or diagnoses, they should be targeting prescribers to fix this, not supply.
That makes too much sense
And the off brands bro…off brands are hot doo doo garbage. Not all generic are created the same.
As someone with ADHD and suffering from the Aderall shortage, thank you for pointing out and discussing the things that become much easier and safer when me and people like me can actually GET the medicine we are prescribed. When I have to go of my Aderall my quality of work and ability to safely focus on driving is so much worse, and I’m so tired of people just telling me that I should just focus better and get over it. I’ve heard way too many people think this was only a drug used by college students to do better on exams and it’s great to hear about how much evidence there is in the medical community on the effectiveness and use of these stimulants.
Telling someone with ADHD to “just focus better and get over it” without an NDRA/NDRI is quite literally equivalent to telling a diabetic to “just metabolize sugar better and get over it” without insulin.
I've been saying this since I first became an IV heroin addict and then got clean. I was a bit more of a 'responsible' user, since I ventured into the world to experiment and try to understand how it all works, anything from hard drugs, to psychedelics and research chemicals that had not been introduced or studied for human consumption yet.
I weighed everything with microgram scales, tested it (reagants/test strips and informal drug assays/GC-MS), clean and unused needles, safe disposal of IVs, micron filters, alcohol swabs etc. I saw so many people that had no idea what they were doing, or suffered dangerous adverse reactions because:
1. They were unaware their product was cut - which alters the dosage and possible interacts with their health.
2. Often not open to their doctors about their health due to the perception of the legal aspect (and possibly shame).
3. Struggle to get help and entering a opioid maintenance therapy program/regiment (e.g. Buvidal injections or Subuxone strips [Buprenorphine])
4. Unable to adequately measure their dosages.
5. Unable to help in overdoses due to lack of Narcan or Naloxone.
6. Re-using needles.
7. Improper education and guidance of safe injecting techniques and procedures.
Legalising (and REGULATING) can do so much more to alleviate those issues. Especially when coupled with education, safe injection rooms like in Australia, and importantly - removing legal consequences that affect their life AFTER getting clean (unable to get a job due to their criminal record).
I remember the only people that agreed with me were the Drug Policy advocates/organisations down here and those experts have my deepest respect.
Regulation can open the doors to greater, open education and public health information, pure and clean products with consistent dosages and lack of cutting agents. Although not perfect, I see this as the only way forward and above all is fairest to over a 100m illicit drug users in the world.
My brother died of an overdose beginningof 2018. Certificate said "morphine and fentnyl" I have been wondering over the last few years that regulation could help with the astronomical amount of deaths. I think these rooms you describe sound like a good idea.
Prior to knowing about my brother's addiction I was of the mind that anyone who suggested giving addicts clean needles were enablers. But after his death I started to see things a but different and realized that those people and enablers are very different.
Purse drugs, clean needles, and easily available Narcan. It's so simple, but so many people are brainwashed by D.A.R.E. and the "war on drugs" and they see using any drug (other than alcohol or nicotine) as a moral failing. So many people seem to think it's okay that people die, that they ruin their lives. When it would be so easy to help them, but the laws make it so hard.
Wonderfully said. thank you so much
To point number two, it can really fuck you over to be completely honest with your doctors about drug use. I am all for honesty, but then when you are in severe pain and nothing has worked, and normally opioids would be prescribed, doctors are often reluctant to prescribe them due to ignorance.
One little detail: Suboxone is buprenorphine AND naloxone. Buprenorphine is often used on its own as a medication.
The fact that I got an ad for an online dispensary is great! 😂
I love everything that Dr. Marino is saying! Also I absolutely LOVEEE that he has a knowledge of the history of drugs on top of up the knowledge of their affects! This shows just how much he cares about what he does, and how much time he's willing to dedicate himself to learning as much as possible in order to get an accurate picture of the problem!! I will absolutely be following his future endeavors, and thank you Doctor Mike for taking the time to talk about this issue!
I agree with this guy 100%. I take hydrocodone and Adderall and have been taking them both over 20 years. I've never had an issue getting my prescription filled til recently. My pharmacist said the DEA is limiting the amount of narcotics that can be made which is causing a shortage of the drugs. It's impossible to even get them both filled at the same pharmacy now
What’s your experience with stimulant vs non stimulant medication?
@@hyperactivejaz I took a few non stimulates and for me they didn't work. I prefer the stimulates. It prevents me from letting my mind wonder from random topic to random topic
Out of curiosity do you use a large chain pharmacy or a “mom & pop” type of pharmacy?
@@brandywine4000 I have been using both. This month when I got my scripts filled I tried multiple CVS, Walgreens, the local pharmacy inside the hospital, Costco and one in a local grocery store. The pharmacist at the CVS inside our local Target was able to fill one script but I had to get my doctor to change the script from capsule to tablets. Then the pharmacist called another CVS on the other side of the island and had them hold the meds for the other script and I was basically told I had 45 mins to get there or they wouldn't hold it for me.
@@karencamp741 I understand. I had to change from a large chain to a mom and pop to get mine filled. I also changed from a bigger town to a smaller town within the limits of the allowed area of my doctor’s area. The regulations definitely make it harder these days. Best luck to you!
We need more podcasts like this! Keep it up Dr. Mike.
@@p-__ a cow's farts are better than yours.
I've been an advocate for drug regulation and legalization for a long time now and im really happy that this topic is given more platform and reach trough youtuber's like you or Dr. Ryan Marino, i really hope that we will get to a point where this topic is more openly discussed. Even though i think that nothing big will change in the next few years i still hope that someday we will have a fully regulated system that actually cares about the poeple and not demonize or criminalize them.
It’s crazy how just thinking it is going to happen can cause such huge effects 😮
This guest, Dr. Marino, is one of the most genuine-sounding people I've ever heard speak.
As a recovering addict with over 3 years clean, whos DOC Was H*ero*n, there is no way to tell if a person will be able to use without any consequences, until after they've used, and i cant think of an ethical way to let people use it, without risking and ruining lives, or even death, because thats what drug addiction does, jail, institutions or death. I wouldn't wish addiction on my worst enemy, and i certainly wouldn't want it available for use commercially.
Same, 10 yrs off H. Him saying most people won't get addicted even using daily was so weird
@@GreyGirl999 addiction is very much biological. It has pretty well documented that about 15% of people have a genetic makeup that will cause them to become addicted to a substance. Many can use and never have a problem. It is a roll of the dice in that regard.
Alcohol is far more dangerous and does more damage to the body than heroin does. Do you believe there isn't am ethical way to sell alcohol? Why is heroin magically not ethical when it's literally safer? 90% of people who use "hard" drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, etc. never develop substance use disorder. What is unethical is violating people's basic human right to bodily autonomy by kidnapping and caging people for substances. We could end the overdose crisis almost overnight by ending the drug war and ensuring access to legal, safe supply.
Ryan is 100% right, and history will prove it. I just hope I live to see it.
I really want to see what happens too
Science has already proven he’s right
@@strnglhld good point! society just takes a while to catch up with science when it comes to "uncomfortable" subjects like this, I suppose...
THANK YOU DR. RYAN! YES! In Australia it is your right under the health act you're allowed to INGEST or CONSUME any substance you want. However the criminal act gets in the way of purchasing, selling, holding, or having. Having taxes go towards healthy provision of substances and education around them and the safe use, just makes more sense.
It's not perfect but it's so much better. If some people are taking drugs and one of their friends overdoses, they can just call the ambulance and they and the person who overdoses (if/when conscious) can just be honest about what they've had, without threat of police or jail. Not having this policy in some countries must cause so much unnecessarily harm and death.
Yes. I think treating addicts like criminals is, well, criminal. Regulate, regulate, regulate, go after illegal dealers.
It would seriously reduce the power of cartels and give more addicted people a chance to live long enough to seek help.
so glad someone is finally talking about this!
I'm one of those newly diagnosed adhd people. Living your whole life with a neurodevelopmental disorder but not knowing what it is or being given the tools to manage it is really hard. Then finding out that one of those solutions is hard to get because people in the government don't think your situation is real just makes it worse. I had to call so many pharmacies to get my prescription filled and some told me they weren't filling them for new patients, only existing ones. Every time I hung up the phone I just sobbed. I finally found one that had it in stock and I don't take it everyday so it's lasted a while. It's been a really emotional process getting diagnosed made harder by people thinking I'm just a tiktok trend.
Try a Canadian pharmacy like Big Mountain? 😊
I was also diagnosed late in life. The meds made it far worse. It's not even close. Adderall will make you waste more time than anything, it also causes emotional disregulation in 100% of users. That's the clinical number 100%. The excuse for prescribing is that it's even worse to have untreated ADHD.
Once you learn the truth: that it is always controllable without drugs. ADHD isn't a disease, it's a behavior we learned period.
It's all about unlearning those habits. The key to overcoming ADD is discipline which is something most ADD people are really bad at. Good luck. You will definitely see after a short " honeymoon phase" the meds do not help.
@@todayilearnedsomething8105 🤣 a learned behavior..... There are literally differences in the structures of a neurodivergent person's brain, but go off.
I always wondered how people were using fentanyl if you can OD by being near it or touching the tiniest amount of it. I'm pretty sure junkies aren't always being super careful around their dosages and storage methods.
Exactly. It makes no sense
You can’t. I’ve held a gram of fentanyl powder in my hand and it did nothing (I don’t do fentanyl or opioids but my friend does). I mean that’s ridiculous, it cannot magically get into your blood stream through your skin lol. The only way is with a scientifically designed transdermal fentanyl patch.
As a patient that has chronic pain issues due to a serious fall. I had to catch myself listening to people, doctors included, that recommend to me something that is a contraindication to prescriptions that I take. Its hard when you're desperate for relief without dangerous side effect. We must remember that whats good for one person isnt necessarily good for everyone. We must be our own advocate and speak up. Our life depend on it.
Yes you must use all your years of training in medicine.
Oh I meant sitting on Google!
@@davidcarr9772 You have to remember doctors are human and google medical degrees can help. For instance i went to urgent care during covid time. I had covid but hadnt been diagnosed yet. I had chicken pox as a kid and usually only old people with weakened immune systems get shingles. I got shingles at 30 and i looked up rashes similar to what i had on google and i went to the doctor and said hey i think this rash is shingles. The nurse who was like 65 ish looked at it and she thought it was shingles but the doctor who looked 30ish didnt think it was shingles. If i hadnt said I think this is shingles he might not have diagnosed me correctly. Also yah doctors memorize a ton of info in school and are more experienced but they are often desensitized to the patients personal struggles. If its not a cut and dry diagnosis the patient has the responsibility to advocate for themselves. The trip to the doctors office is a discussion about what can be done to fix an issue on bothe sides. Some diseases can be treated with diet and excercise or things like fevers dont necessarily need treatment if they are low and some bacterial infections dont necessarily require antibiotics. You have to be aware of your personal situation and how your decision affects you and others . Just to be clear im not anti medicine. I needed the shingles diagnosis to get antivirals prescribed and though the doctor wasnt sure it was a better safe than sorry thing because shingles can cause permanent nerve damage. But on the other hand I got strep throat and didnt take antibiotic for it because i had mild symptoms.
@@davidcarr9772 When I occasionally look things up on Google it's to give myself enough knowledge to ask those who handle my care the right questions. There's other ways to get medical information but you just need to know how to use it.
@@davidcarr9772 you don't need a medical degree to know you're in pain and that your finger that looks like it has been overcooked in a microwave then incinerated on a grill is fully dead and necrotic and that it hurts like hell. (All because the medical staff decided to ignore that you have circulation issues and neuropathy so you can't tape things super tight to one of your fingers without cutting off said circulation and killing the digit.)
And also staff make mistakes. My Mom almost died because a Dr gave her a new med that contained something she is fatally allergic too (he simply forgot it contained it.) Then almost died because the nursing staff at the ER refused to believe her that she was dying because her allergy to it doesn't manifest in a typical way. She was also prescribed, by another Dr, a med that is known to aggravate diabetic sores. Despite them being rare for her, as she took good care of herself, she suddenly started to get covered in them. We found out by happening to see an ad for that med on TV and it being one of the listed side effects. Of memory serves (I was probably in like 7th or 8th grade at the time do it's been a while,) the side effect wasn't really well known and wasn't really added until later, so they honestly just didn't realize it was a side effect when prescribing it. Mistakes happen. 🤷♀️ Dr's are human too, and unless it's from outright negligence or refusal to help (like the medical staff in the 1st scenario,) it's understandable. It just suxks because when it comes to media care it can cause serious, even fatal, problems as a result.
I've seen a French tv show on people whom testified on how they got hooked. Having chronic pains, getting a prescription, and ending up scaming pharmacists around to get their drugs. Some pharmacists would play along ( I totally understand why). Then at point they realize something ain't right and discovered they're hooked on Opïods.
Those drugs are addicted. There is something terribly wrong with that guest.
And something else is telling me he's too smart to get in troubles. 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
What he says about housing, childcare, etc coming from the drug war budget is correct, but it also needs to go towards rehab facilities. Portland, OR tried decriminalizing all drugs, but they did it without updating any of their infrastructure. The number and sizes of shelter, detox, and rehab facilities stayed the same. The situation there is horrible and has gotten much worse since they decriminalized. I would also say we cannot allow politicians to make decisions like this without consulting medical experts. It’s just sad. I’m pro-deregulation, but the infrastructure needs to be in place to actually HELP people.
Actually, because of the pandemic a lot of shelters, detox centers, and rehab facilities were also shut down. For example, during the pandemic the only Methadone clinic in my area was shut down, leaving a lot of people at risk. I agree that better infrastructure is needed.
I live in Canada and we decriminalized pretty much everything but didn't update or upgrade infrastructure (other than safe injection sites) and honestly it's gotten ridiculously out of hand. The good idea is there but the execution was very poor. I live near Vancouver and see how the system has failed us every day
commenting to boost this in the algorithm! this is a conversation i've had with many people who just aren't ready to buy it, but the evidence that we do have speaks for itself. i'm glad to see this talked about- it's such an important topic, and hopefully one society catches up on sooner rather than later.
I used opioids daily for years due to chronic pain. I had to quit because of the war on opioids and specifically oxycodone, which was the only opioid that mixed with my other medications and didn’t make me nauseous af. The withdrawals weren’t bad for me at all, which ofcourse doesn’t mean others will have a similar experience as me. Doctors told me take the max daily dose of Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen for the pain, which I try not to do, because taking multiple drugs with known long term issues is much worse than the same dosage long acting oxycodone daily. In the end overdoses have only risen, so the problems weren’t prescriptions or bIg PhArMa, they were just the scapegoat for bad government policies.
Anyone of us working in a pharmacy knows the stress of the adderall shortage. To see people at their wits end just trying to get their meds is so frustrating. Especially in DE where there's a 7 day expiration on c2s. But the DEA claims no one has reached their limits so they are trying to pass the buck
I'm glad the school year wrapped up before the "sorry, the pharmacy is out and we don't even have any coming in from our supplier right now" phone call. But for adults with ADHD there is no summer break where being unmedicated is less of a hindrance.
Seeing all these horror stories about Adderall shortages brings back so many awful memories but also makes me feel so incredibly thankful that the local pharmacy I discovered a few years ago has never once been unable to fill my prescription.
My husband was a severe alcoholic for 20 years, as soon as marijuanawas legalized in WA state, he started smoking & immediately stopped drinking alcohol with minimal effects. He has been sober from alcohol for 4 years now! Placebo effect?? Maybe, either way he is healthier than he has ever been! He has had chronic pain for 30 years but absolutely refuses narcotic pain medication prescriptions. 🤷🏽♀️
What an amazing opportunity to learn something new. I can't wait to watch the entire interview. Thank you, Dr. Marino and Dr. Mike, for a great video!❤
I love that you had this conversation. So important.
I have narcolepsy and ADHD. When I was unable to get my Adderall, which treats both, my neurologist decided to try different medication’s that, I shit you not, cost thousands of dollars a month. One of them cost $16,000 for a one month supply. Another one cost $7000 for a one month supply. My insurance said they would cover a big portion of it but I would still have to come out of pocket for $2000. I learned later that’s because the insurance company has a deal with big Pharma and gets a discount where they’re not really paying thousands of dollars to cover it. I do not have $2000 a month. I contacted Nord, (National Organization for Rare Diseases) which helps with medication‘s. But because narcolepsy is so rare they did not have funding for it yet so they put me on a waiting list. By the time they received funding and could help me, I had already gotten to the top of the list from my pharmacy of people waiting for Adderall and got my one month supply. The American medical system is so jacked up. The way I do it now is even if I have plenty of Adderall I get a prescription every month and turn it in, that way when I do run out I finally get to the top of the waiting list and I’ll be able to get it filled. Without it I literally cannot function. I’m either having sleep attacks from my narcolepsy or I am unable to focus on anything because of my extreme ADHD. Something needs to change.
As someone with narcolepsy I can relate.
I'm a devoted coffee drinker and never went out of my buy a coffee mug. But After 45 years im going to buy my first mug and it will say..... 'coffee is a friend, not an enima.'
Hope you got the corrected spelling - enema / enemy. Did you have a mug made?! Great idea!
@@thegroovyhead ..... Lol.. I hadn't noticed my typo before you caught it. Thanks! And I did! Fortunately I had it spelled the right way too. A little expensive for a coffee mug ($15, I think) but it gets a lot of comments so I think it's worth doing once.
I know exactly why the DEA controls drugs without a medical consultant, the prison system is big business. The "war" on drugs is about the money, not helping people with their life problems, that lead to addiction.
You were talking about 'the people who want to take it will, whether it's legal or not', which is true... but nearly everybody I have ever met has tried alcohol because it is legal and 'normal'. A much smaller percentage of people have tried other drugs. Any legal drugs are more likely to be tried by more people.
I’m so glad I found your videos. We need more of these videos! Keep up the great work
My mother was a nurse at an old age home. She witnessed a colleague taking fentanyl patches off of dementia patients that needed pain meds and was licking them.
What a reasonable voice. We need more people like him in this country, and in government.
This is a nice video to see on this channel.
I am all for legalization and harm reduction instead of our current messed up system where our "war on drugs" is just causing more deaths and filling up our jails and prisons.
Dr.Marino is such a great person to have on the podcast! So happy to see him share his expertise ❤
I really like how you talked about ADHD medications and ADHD as a condition. I am in Australia, but even here I have experienced comments about my ADHD. People don't recognise enough that invisible illnesses are real. I have more than one, and the amount of times I have been gaslight but medical professionals because they didn't believe my conditions, or just thought it was just in my head. I have heard the comments about my adhd meds, people don't seem to understand that I need it to function, it is not just something I am addicted too, if it wasn't for my reminder, I would forget to take it😆
You’re absolutely right. I was telling my friend, it’s so relatable. But people may have one or two mental health issues… but we have them all, all at once. Would you agree?
As a recovers heroin addict the concept of reconciliation heroin use with no problems is insane
Dr. Mike!!! Stepping UP with the content. Yes!!!
thank you for posting this. unfortunately it takes a lot of guts to back this perspective, but its sososo important. this way of thinking needs to be publicized more. because of the war on drugs mentality this idea of harm reduction doesn't even cross the vast majority of people's minds. we're not gonna instantly get everyone to the point of 'legalize and regulate all drugs', but these things start a shift in the right direction.
I absolutely LOVE this. stop focusing on the drugs...and focus on the reason why people get addicted to them or use them as a coping mechanism. It's a MEDICAL issue...not a LEGAL issue.
It’s a legal issue when kids can get to the drugs that addict parents leave lying around. It’s a legal issue when the addicts are passed out in public spaces. It is a legal issue.
As a chronic pain patient. who often has issues getting my medication for various reasons such as shortages etc., I absolutely agree with everything Dr Ryan said!
I also agree I’m a chronic pain patient and had most of my Rx taken away my quality of life has diminished
@@jcrow236 Hi there, how are you doing today? I was on scrolling mode when I got piqued by your profile and couldn’t help saying hello 😊
The difference between dependence and addiction when talking about opioids is so important. Speaking from personal experience, many opiate addicts don't end up using to get high, but just to not feel sick. The withdrawals are so intense and all encompassing, and the worst part, the thing that makes people lie, steal, do things they would never do otherwise, is knowing that you can feel better, feel *normal* if you can just score. The idea of legalizing and regulating drugs like opiates seems really counterintuitive, but the data shows that it's an effective and attainable solution
It's not hard to quit opioids. It is hard to quit them and be functional during the withdrawals though.
I take Vyvanse and the strict stimulant regulations on how much you can get in one refill has really affected me. Realistically, I cannot function without my ADHD meds. I get horrible withdrawal symptoms and I stay in bed the whole day after missing a dose. I’m going on a 3 week vacation later this summer and I had to have a conversation with my mom about how I won’t have enough Vyvanse to last the whole trip, and we can’t refill during the trip because it is overseas. If I went without it, I’d be missing seeing my family and enjoying the trip because I would be struggling so much. So, the plan was to ration this refill and not take it every day so I can save up extra for the trip. This should not be necessary. The fear surrounding stimulant medications means that so many people do not have access to literal life changing treatments.
I use drugs, but as a kid I wasn't allowed to take any adhd meds because my mom is a special Ed teacher and believed most people can learn to cope with enough patience, and I got better at stuff. Definitely easier to take the meds but idk
The proposal he has is already done in other countries and the data shows that less people die of overdose, and overall quality of life is better, and its easier for them to get help to quit when the law isn't after you.
Mike,
I am so glad you had Ryan on your show. I've been saying for years now all drugs need to be legalized, and the way Ryan explains this is a perfect example as to why. He has so much knowledge to share with people about this issue who need to understand it better. I absolutely love the guests you choose to talk with.☺️ Does anyone want to make any predictions what changes would occur if they were all legalized? I'd love to hear some.
❤️
Lilly
I dont know what to think about regulating drugs.
1 because I'm not intelligent on the matter. 2 because I'm so emotionally affected by drug use that it's hard to think logically instead of emotionally.
My best friend died in 2019 from fentanyl. He was using heroin (which he never told me, but I had started to suspect) and he got a bad batch..
I miss him terribly still today. He was the person who knew me. Really, knew me. And still cared. I'll never allow myself to feel that attached to someone again.
My brother used heroin on and off after initially starting his addiction with morphine. He lied, stole and manipulated people to support his addiction. He is very smart, 4.0 GPA and generally a good person. But I've seen what heroin does to people. It rewires their brain into thinking they need the drug to function, its just as important to them as air in their lungs..
I can't imagine heroin being regulated, "used properly" or what that would even look like.
I don't even like marijuana. It's mentally addicting to people who use it to treat mental illnesses. Mental illness is so common and most people aren't even willing to accept that they have some form of it.
My father used marijuana as treatment for a lot of his issues and he "couldnt" run out of it. I went through a something similar as well. He would become more abusive and he would get sick without his fix. Physically and mentally.
Alcohol is so poisonous as well. To people that are addicts and to people that aren't. Do you know how many people say that they're told by their DOCTOR that they can drink while pregnant and breastfeeding? They aren't willing to put the alcohol down for themselves, their children or anybody. When they're faced with an opposing view or a different opinion the claws come out. They defend their drinking like their life depends on it. I've spoken to so many mothers and mothers to be that have no idea alcohol can be harmful. Doctors argue about whether it's safe or not to drink while breastfeeding. So if there is any possibility that it isn't safe, why even take the chance? They may have an addiction that they aren't even aware of.
I wish all of it could just go away.
Go get high on life. Living, helping and supporting others. The smile of your child. Making memories. Singing, dancing, exercising. Anything but these dangerous cheap fixes!
❤
I agree. My community has been devastated by drug use.
To your point, alcohol is regulated, yet drunk driving is still a prevalent issue. Legalization and weak regulation is not the best solution.
@@natc6601 read about Portugal and what was the outcome of legalizing ALL the drugs in this country.
i'm so happy to see someone on here who shares my point of views on drugs :)
I actually did some research into needle exchange programs in prisons. This is a harm reduction approach to prevent blood borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C from spreading in prisons where IV drug use is common. This research was based off data from about 10 countries where needle exchange programs had been implemented for roughly 20 years. There was no case where drug use increased in the prisons post the program beginning, and in some prisons, drug use decreased due to increased accessing and interaction with medical staff and addiction programs.
I firmly believe that all drugs should be decriminalised and regulated in the same way alcohol is. However, we should offer education and harm minimisation around drug use. In the same way that abstinence is not sufficient or effective sex education, scaremongering is not effective in keeping people safe around drugs.
People should be encouraged to acknowledge if their drug use (including alcohol) is becoming problematic.
I both agree and disagree. Drugs should be decriminalized, as well as regulated. Education should be offered. But fearmongering is a proven method of postponing first exposure to drugs (mostly alcohol) in younger people, and early usage has a strong correlation to the development of addiction. This is because the brain on puberty is significantly more prone to addiction.
As such, education on drugs is, in my opinion, quite a bit more difficult. You want to teach the children safe ways to use drugs for when they are older, but they need to be heavily discouraged from using at a younger age because both their decision making has not fully developed yet and their risks are significantly larger.
Just like Portland Oregon? The place is a shithole now.
@@joebidenstan true, but still we're using fearmongering to keep kids away from alcohol and tobacco despite the age restrictions. It's even recommended in the relevant scientific literature to do so
D.A.R.E. - the abstinence only education of the drug world.
The same people who argue this are so inconsistent when they say the US have so many chemicals in the food and how Europe has better regulations on food. Or the augment against flavored tobacco or vape. You can’t be that selective on your wishes for less protection from the government.
Thank you for talking about how hard ADHD is without medications even though it's "invisible"!
Love your videos Dr mike. I plan on being a paramedic when I grow up and your content is helping me learn it. ❤
I really appreciate the conversation about the drug and how bad the government handled 💯
This was a super interesring conversation, very complexe with different opinions and very respectful. I loved it! It made me think about this all so I could form a more develloped opinion and thought of it :) Amazing stuff!
keep spirit doctor mike my prayers the channel is progressing and developing ,the videos are very useful for many people
Thank you for talking about the Adderall shortage and mentioning some of the very real risks associated with untreated ADHD. I’ve been impacted by the shortage. So have other people in my community. Meds don’t solve all are problems, sure, but they’re a very important tool. For many folks with ADHD, going without our meds for an extended period of time can greatly impact our livelihoods, relationships, quality of life, etc.
I’d like to see a dedicated video on the topic. Get more eyes on this.
Also… maybe introduce Adderall FIRST as an ADHD med, instead of leading with how college students may recognize it. We have enough trouble with stigma as it is. >_>
Yeah I didn’t appreciate the college students comment. My son has ADHD and used to take concerta until he stopped gaining weight since it affected his appetite. We switched to a non stimulant. My brother takes adderall and is in his late 40s. So just because some people misuse it, we don’t need to add further stigma…coming from the medical community no less
I have ADHD too and went the non stimulant route. And it helps but from what I hear of others’ opinions, stimulants are more effective. Have you tried both? Comparably, what’s your opinion?
I'm currently suffering with untreated ADHD, BECAUSE of the stigma around it. My parents are very traditional and don't even like me having caffeine because of it being a stimulant, but I've noticed that I function better with caffeine in my system. I always joked that I had an addiction, but I've noticed recently that I've been self-medicating to help with my ADHD symptoms. Getting a prescription for something like Adderall would have been a life saver for me, but at 19 years old I'm now having to fight for access to some form of medication which would increase my quality of life drastically
@@taylorkat8614 if caffeine helps you then a stimulant would probably be really helpful for you. And it would have a consistent dose, which you won't get with caffeine. My son took a stimulant and it really helped him but he went off it since it affected his appetite and he is still growing so needed to eat more. He is on a non stimulant that works OK, but not as well as the stimulant. Adderall is not the only one- ritalin and concerta are popular and work well. See your doctor and mention your concerns to them. They will hopefully steer you to something that can help. Good luck!
The issue with the stimulant shortage is affecting so many people. It almost feels like we are going backwards 30 years to when parents were ridiculed or called lazy for treating their children’s psychiatric disorders with prescribed medication. I’ve been affected by the shortage also, and it’s dangerous for me to do my work without it. Learning that there are no medical professionals involved with the DEA is both enraging and heartbreaking. I wish we could change the stigma 😢
theres been a shortage on antibiotics once in the US when i needed it a few years ago for a right ear infection. i get them in that ear so much it's considered a chronic issue, possibility of going deaf in that ear if i don't get antibiotics when i get another one. honestly i was told the shortage that i dealt with was because the companies wouldn't supply it when they could have to a lot of places. i never found out if it was true but it is scary when you can't get what you need. i know it's been some time but i hope it was fixed for people like you who need it.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be getting fixed. I actually recently went over a week without my medication because they could t fill it. :(
@@izoraiza7169also the research on antibiotics is mostly stagnant because they're not very profitable for drug companies to invest money into. Drug resistance certainly doesn't help the profit incentive. We're truly one superbug away from hell on earth.
I was addicted to hydrocodone for around 8 years. I was injured at work and my hip and my spine were severely damaged. I had to relearn how to walk kind of damage. I was having severe nerve pain when I got out of the hospital and they gave me hydrocodone to help the pain. I was in my 20s at the time and I had no knowledge about addiction or the dangers of taking the medication and quitting it instantly. After being on the medication for over 7 years I started noticing that I felt worse when I didn't take the medication then I did before I was prescribed the drug. Like horrible horrible bouts of the runs, cold sweats and trouble sleeping. The feeling that my nerves were over sensitive to every single touch. Sounds mild until you realize I wanted to die to get the feeling of my nerves being on fire to stop. It drives you crazy. You can't sleep, eat or sit or stand or lie down... That kind of crazy. I spent 2 weeks in rehab to get clean and I'm laughing at myself now because that was 20 years ago. I've been clean since and recently I've been prescribed oxycodone after my spinal surgery the 31st of last month. 2 10 mg pills every 4 hours for 5 days... Yea I didn't take even 1 a day after the surgery and it's the 13th. I still have 22 in the bottle of 30 originally. I type this to explain WHY I feel comfortable even being around that medicine after I spent 2 weeks in rehab to get off the stuff. I can take them in moderation (1 every 2 days or so) and I don't get that euphoric high that I got with Hydrocodone. I get sleepy. REALLY sleepy lol. I don't WANT to take them. I only take them when the pain from the surgery gets unbearable and the Ibuprofen isn't helping. That being said I do honestly think that if I had of known about the addicting properties of hydrocodone and had been prescribed one every 2 days to start instead of 3 a day and had been told that if I want to stop to wean myself off instead of flushing them and going cold turkey the situation would have been different. So yea I have a hard time believing that someone can take heroine and be fine without any addiction what-so-ever. If everyone could then we wouldn't have a heroine problem.
i work in supportive housing in NYC and i do know people who use drugs safely and recreationally, and are functioning members of society. love this video
I always feel like I’m learning something new when I watch your videos. Keep it up!
I would love to hear him speak about the brain changes that happen due to drug use. I learned so much in my Brain and Behavior course during our drug lecture.
I’m so glad he talked about the DEA issue, the effects of the shortage is still a problem and it’s been almost two years.
This conversation is so important. I got addicted to opiods in college because a doctor said they were "basically stronger tylenol." I quickly got hooked and then when I talked to the doctor they stopped me cold turkey and didn't inform me of any rehabs or institutions to help. After I began to detox, I turned to street drugs in order to halt the painful detox. Luckily I had a friends who stepped in and got me the help I needed.
After completing rehab I have witnessed a deficit in not only the common public, but medical professionals having a skewed view on drugs, and drug addicts.
After being sober from opiates for about a year and a half, I woke up one day with a sudden and severe back pain that was also affecting my right leg. The doctor at the ER refused to help because I was "drug seeking", which he assumed after reading I had a past with drug addiction. Even though I had been sober a full year and a half He still accused me of seeking drugs. He laughed when I asked him for help or something to stop the amount of pain I was in because it was excruciating. I was sent home after being given tylenol, which I had already informed them I had taken the maximum daily amount at one prior that day without any relief. He informed me that pain was not a emergency issue and I would just have to live in that pain. I wasn't referred to a spine specialist, bone doctor, or pain management clinic because all he saw was an addict looking for drugs even though I was simply there for an issue that would be later looked into at one of SIX hospitals I had to go to to be seen and heard. They finally set me up with doctors and pain management but finally it ended once I was told my only option left was opiates because chiropractors, physical therapy, heat & ice, steroids, NSAIDS, benzodiazepines, nerve blocks, and nerve pain medications didn't work. They said that I was simply too young to be temporarily put on the pain medication even though my pain was excruciating enough for them to consider opiates. But my age mitigated me getting these meds even though it was the last treatment option.
I just want to point out the misinformation that people often use to deny help to addicts or people they label as drug seeking. I am now afraid of doctors and hospitals because of how I was treated when I hurt my back. When I needed help I was just labeled as an addict and told they wouldn't give me drugs even though I was asking for help and a solution, but drugs. I simply wanted to know why I had this sudden debilitating pain that affected my walking. But I want given that at all.
Risk reduction is incredibly important for the health and wellbeing of individuals who have been caught in the grasp of addiction and do not currently have the strength to overcome this disease. It saves lives and reduces the spread of HIV and other blood borne illnesses that are spread in addiction due to lack of clean resources. Narcan being passed around is incredibly helpful because it can be administered if you believe someone is having an overdose and if they aren't, it *should* do no harm because of its lack of contraindications. If they did need it it should help reverse the overdose to some extent until EMS can arrive for further interventions.
I Agree with his assessment that if we make drugs legal that it will stop a lot of problems. People will do the drugs either way making it legal just makes it so that they feel safe going to someone for help when they need it.
So the whole system is FUCKED up.... thanks for clearing that up. I'm so glad they are educating us but boy is this frustrating to hear. It's nice to hear people actually tell the truth. Thanks drs!!
Healthcare in America is one of the best scams ever made
@@yoboy6319 you couldn't be more right!
Thank you for discussing the topic of harm reduction. I got on methadone a couple years ago and it saved my life. I was a homeless heroin addict. I was literally on the verge of death. I only take methadone and cannabis now. I am so grateful that cannabis is legal in my state. It is much easier to use it responsibly and maximize the medicinal benefits.
Same story as me fam! Tapering down off the methadone currently.
Been almost 10 years.
We arnt alone. ❤
@@apexnext it is always refreshing to know that I'm not alone, especially on a platform like this. I'm on a fraction of the dose I was on for a couple years. It has actually been easier than I thought it would
@@jevinday yeah I try to bring it up everywhere I can. Everyday conversations like at a gas station and online like here.
I'm glad you arnt afraid to talk about it so openly. That's how we help change that stigma!
The emotional aspect did hit me hard recently as my dose got much much lower.
As it was explained to me, my brain has had the opiates to deal with emotions for decades. Now it's trying to reprogram and deal with those problems I'd been avoiding without the opiate buffer now.
Like you said it's definitely easier than I thought it would be, especially with support. I've got a great Counslor.
Oh also i try to bring this up for people like us.
If you can, get to a primary care doctor and have your testosterone checked!
Even as my life got better i was very tired all the time. Low energy. No drive.
I thought I was just broken cuz of the previous lifestyle.
But a lifetime of opiates and even methadone can affect Testosterone levels!
I was only 35 years old and my T level was 27. Normal levels are 300-600 apparently. 🤣
It gave me my personality back. Gave me energy again. It was the missing piece in my recovery in a lot of ways!
So many of the Low T symptoms sort of share with the opiate/methadone symptoms, so check with your doctor if you can!
@@apexnextalso opiates do affect your bodies ability to produce testosterone so I think all recovering addicts should be tested because the symptoms of PAWS and low Test. can easily be confused.
I really appreciated this open dialogue and civil conversation on drugs
Really enjoying this discussion and the respectful exchange of ideas and information.
Yayyy I'm here for my daily dose of Doc Mike contentttt🎊🥳🫶🏻