HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

When Cops Play Doctor: How the drug war punishes pain patients

Views:945
@ReasonVids

The steady stream of celebrity stories about prescription drug abuse makes Americans keenly aware of the dangers of overdosing on medications like OxyContin and Vicodin. And from President Obama's Drug Czar to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, politicians are calling for greater power to monitor doctor-patient relationships in order to fight the "epidemic" of prescription drug overdosing.

But maybe the real epidemic is underdosing. Countless Americans suffer with severe chronic pain because doctors are afraid to treat them properly.

Michael Jackson's death unleashed a flurry of media stories about all aspects of the pop star's life, including his alleged prescription drug abuse. On the same day countless millions watched Jackson's star-studded memorial service, reason.tv interviewed another musician.

Seán Clarke-Redmond, a man who enjoyed an active live before the neurodegenerative disease ALS, often referred to as Lou Gerig's disease, rendered him nearly immobile—he can no longer even play the piano.

The disease also left him in almost constant pain. Redmond is prescribed some medication, but not nearly enough to keep his pain under control. Dr. Frank Fisher says Redmond's case is an appallingly common one.

"Chronic pain in America is an enormously under treated disease," says Fisher, a Harvard-trained physician. "It's a public health disaster."

Pain specialists like Fisher and patients' groups like the Pain Relief Network battle law enforcement officials who are forever on the lookout for "pill mills" and patients who misuse pain medicine. Fisher notes that the same medications so often associated with celebrity addiction are the same medications that combat pain most effectively.

Fisher has treated his patients with high doses of opioids-that is, until a swat team raided his clinic and threw him behind bars.

"They were trying to give me 256 years to life," says Fisher who argues that fear of prosecution often prevents doctors from treating chronic pain patients effectively.

What allows doctors' medical decisions to be overruled by police?

"What we're dealing with is a mass insanity," says Fisher. "We call it the war on drugs."

"When Cops Play Doctor" is written and produced by Ted Balaker and hosted by Nick Gillespie. Director of Photography is Alex Manning, Associate Producers are Hawk Jensen and Paul Detrick.

drug war
,
dea. doctors
,
pain
,
medication
,
healthcare
,
michael jackson
,
celebrity
,
reason.tv
,
oxycontin
,
opiods
    Thumbnail for Libertarian Party Chairman William Redpath Tells All9:53
    Libertarian Party Chairman William Redpath Tells All
    ReasonVids
    991 views
    Thumbnail for Adolf Hitler Threatens International Finance Jewry3:17
    Adolf Hitler Threatens International Finance Jewry
    NachtWaffen
    877 views
    Thumbnail for Chicago Entrepreneurs: Pitch Your Business Idea & Win Funding!1:01
    Chicago Entrepreneurs: Pitch Your Business Idea & Win Funding!
    IJvids
    949 views
    Thumbnail for How does the military feel about backing this fool of a president.0:31
    How does the military feel about backing this fool of a president.
    bestofupgoat
    531 views
    Thumbnail for Smart Cat0:10
    Smart Cat
    bestofupgoat
    206 views
    Thumbnail for 12 Years to Disaster? How Climate Activists Distort the Evidence13:23
    12 Years to Disaster? How Climate Activists Distort the Evidence
    ReasonVids
    907 views
    Thumbnail for Get Government out of Welfare Now! An Interview with Star Parker7:42
    Get Government out of Welfare Now! An Interview with Star Parker
    ReasonVids
    878 views
    Thumbnail for Plus Size Women Demand High Standards | Ride and Roast34:41
    Plus Size Women Demand High Standards | Ride and Roast
    Terrence Popp
    1654 views
    Thumbnail for Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman & The Decline of Racism & Violence in America2:01
    Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman & The Decline of Racism & Violence in America
    ReasonVids
    840 views
    Thumbnail for You're Stuck in Here with Me0:41
    You're Stuck in Here with Me
    AOUisgay
    474 views
    Thumbnail for রাকিব অন্তরার 2 Years Anniversary 😍 #Shorts | Nusrat Jahan Ontora0:16
    রাকিব অন্তরার 2 Years Anniversary 😍 #Shorts | Nusrat Jahan Ontora
    invidious
    198 views
    Thumbnail for Patriot Front - United We Stand (Full Album) (2021)39:07
    Patriot Front - United We Stand (Full Album) (2021)
    SmashTheJourgeoisie
    866 views
    Thumbnail for Soy Lives Matter!0:27
    Soy Lives Matter!
    AOUisgay
    504 views
    Thumbnail for Meet the Democrats9:02
    Meet the Democrats
    AmericanRenaissance
    1444 views
    Thumbnail for Wat the fauk is goin on er there now mate0:27
    Wat the fauk is goin on er there now mate
    bestofupgoat
    59 views
    Thumbnail for The EPA has hired a company called Tetra Tech to conduct testing in East Palestine. Tetra Tech is owned by the Blackrock and Vanguard, which also own Norfolk Southern19:53
    The EPA has hired a company called Tetra Tech to conduct testing in East Palestine. Tetra Tech is owned by the Blackrock and Vanguard, which also own Norfolk Southern
    bestofvoatxyz
    975 views
    Thumbnail for Richard Epstein: Obamacare's Collapse, the 2016 Election, & More1:06:40
    Richard Epstein: Obamacare's Collapse, the 2016 Election, & More
    ReasonVids
    923 views
    Thumbnail for One Very Patient Mama Bear3:48
    One Very Patient Mama Bear
    bestofvoatxyz
    726 views
    Thumbnail for FCC's Ajit Pai: Net Neutrality is a "Solution That Won't Work to a Problem That Doesn't Exist"31:16
    FCC's Ajit Pai: Net Neutrality is a "Solution That Won't Work to a Problem That Doesn't Exist"
    ReasonVids
    942 views
    Thumbnail for And before you know it, there's no one left who remember the better times1:56
    And before you know it, there's no one left who remember the better times
    AOUisgay
    512 views
    Thumbnail for "We Don't Need More Copyright" - Tom W. Bell on Intellectual Property8:29
    "We Don't Need More Copyright" - Tom W. Bell on Intellectual Property
    ReasonVids
    889 views
    Thumbnail for The FDA and CDC's Coronavirus Response Is a 'Failure of Historic Proportions'34:51
    The FDA and CDC's Coronavirus Response Is a 'Failure of Historic Proportions'
    ReasonVids
    843 views
    Thumbnail for C-SPAN After Dark: Alcee Hastings' Cher-Like Awards Show Acceptance Speech0:53
    C-SPAN After Dark: Alcee Hastings' Cher-Like Awards Show Acceptance Speech
    ReasonVids
    871 views
    Thumbnail for Germany get off your knees - The Ernst Zundel Story1:32:18
    Germany get off your knees - The Ernst Zundel Story
    bestofnab
    1604 views
    Thumbnail for LOLBeans.io10:00
    LOLBeans.io
    stumble_bro
    470 views

points

Permalink
Reply
drug war
,
dea. doctors
,
pain
,
medication
,
healthcare
,
michael jackson
,
celebrity
,
reason.tv
,
oxycontin
,
opiods
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle