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Landmark study finds prescribing opioids dramatically reduced deaths, overdoses for drug users in B.C. (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 2 years ago by CaractacusPotts@lemmy.ca to c/britishcolumbia@lemmy.ca

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/14052947

The analysis found the cohort who were prescribed pharmaceutical-grade opioids had a 61 per cent lower risk of death from any cause the following week, and was 55 per cent less likely to die of an overdose the following week.

It also showed the protective effect increased with the number of days opioid medications were accessed. People who received four or more days of prescription opioids were 91 per cent less likely to die from any cause, and 89 per cent less likely to die from overdose in the following week.

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[–] TheDoctorDonna@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

But consumption sites and safe supply are constantly fought against. I guess the cruelty is the point.

[–] TSG_Asmodeus@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

We live in a city of NIMBY's, sadly.

[–] TheDoctorDonna@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

A whole ass province of NIMBYs. You should see the vitriol spewed towards addicts and unhoused people in PG.

[–] villasv@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Crucial study, we need more of those. Kudos to the researchers.

It also pains me that having dozens of these is not really what's going to change how the city handles the issue. I honestly don't know what it takes to move public opinion forward on this at this point. We have decades of studies on transit fatalities and what really changed the attitude towards active transportation was mainstream YouTubers blowing oxygen on the new urbanist movement.

[–] psvrh@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

The problem is how this is sold to people who, and I hate to say this, don't care if addicts live or die.

That's the missing piece: you can talk all day about things that save lives, but a lot of people don't care. They care about property damage, personal safety and order. A lot of people--a lot--will actually see an overdose death as a positive thing.

If you want to change these people's minds, you'll need to explain the benefit to them, like that it reduces crime, or will result in their Amazon packages not getting stolen as often, or that they won't have to deal with people passed out on the sidewalk in front of their business.

Is this callous and not a little bit sociopathic? Yup. Is it the truth? Also yup. But if you want save lives, you have to explain how this benefits people who aren't addicts or their families.