My Dad had told me that drugs were the biggest problem in McDowell County. ** -- MikeVT85 12/21/2016 7:23PM
Another article that focuses more on the roll of pharm companies in this -- dans93 12/21/2016 12:40PM
Four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription painkillers -- J-Dub 12/21/2016 11:29AM
The people running the drug cartels are not dummies -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 12:47PM
More likely to have chronic pain, or more likely to *claim* chronic pain? -- HWA 12/21/2016 12:03PM
Big problem too in SWVA...Saltville, VA is called Sin City for a reason... -- Major Kong 12/21/2016 10:41AM
Real bad over here in the coalfield counties that border the 304 and EKY... -- ShortFatHokie 12/21/2016 1:37PM
Senator Joe Manchin (D), WV, will get right on it... -- aint2Hokie4me 12/21/2016 09:13AM
And when the "legal" drugs are outlawed, they switch to heroin... -- aint2Hokie4me 12/21/2016 09:17AM
That would be meth most likely ** -- VaTechie 12/21/2016 11:55AM
Yep- I struggle with this issue as a libertarian -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:22AM
That same method worked for Portugal, I believe. ** -- GoobyPls 12/21/2016 1:14PM
The key is to not get people hooked in the first place. Plenty -- reestuart 12/21/2016 12:41PM
Decriminalize sale of small amounts by addicts -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 09:36AM
Wait. Unemployable due to felony? No. Due to addiction? Probably -- 48zip 12/21/2016 09:49AM
Both are an issue for employment. Felon probably has a harder -- jmanatVT 12/21/2016 11:31AM
Agree, unless drug tests are involved. ** -- 48zip 12/21/2016 12:05PM
You would still have a black market with the accompanying violence -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:47AM
Maybe Obama will pardon him? -- EDGEMAN 12/21/2016 09:42AM
How are they paying for the drugs? ** -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 08:38AM
Profits from street sales. Same for Adderall -- 48zip 12/21/2016 08:53AM
So they are not paying for the scrip, or is Medicare, for example, paying? -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:03AM
Probably all of the above. ** -- reestuart 12/21/2016 12:39PM
The problem is that scrips contain like 60-80 let's say hydrocodone -- hoosnowahokie 12/21/2016 10:22AM
Paying cash/retail value. Still huge profits for street price. -- 48zip 12/21/2016 09:16AM
Doctor shopping has been a problem for a long time, not sure how you -- fordham 12/21/2016 08:28AM
Wow. What are the docs getting out of writing the scripts? -- GFallsFan 12/21/2016 08:03AM
They are called pill mills. The doctors do not have a legit relationship -- typed by ben 12/21/2016 10:51AM
Got to be some kickbacks involved. I know a guy who went in -- reestuart 12/21/2016 09:41AM
You're also dealing with a state that has the worst doctors in the US... -- JLM-Hokie 12/21/2016 08:50AM
Excellent point- I had forgotten what a judicial hell hole WV is... ** -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:04AM
Largely a product of poverty -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 09:10AM
True- a vibrant economy takes care of a lot of these ills ** -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:14AM
Not happening in WV. #1 industry crushed. ** -- EDGEMAN 12/21/2016 09:51AM
Natty Gas is starting to fill in some gaps... -- JLM-Hokie 12/21/2016 11:20AM
They charge for an office visit, & there might be shady stuff involved too -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 08:09AM
But even in other situations, seems like there's no reservations -- Rinoki21 12/21/2016 08:18AM
VA has a voluntary program to prevent this, although I don't guess crooks -- 48zip 12/21/2016 08:15AM
There seemed to be a cultural shift re medicating pain a few years ago -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 08:42AM
Or the medical community decided to be more humane to their patients -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 08:46AM
More "humane" -- that's eye of the beholder, right? -- HWA 12/21/2016 09:21AM
Is the fog of addiction better than excruciating pain? -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:29AM
Yes, there are people that have chronic debilitating pain -- fordham 12/21/2016 10:12AM
You're right about that, it's a complex issue -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 08:51AM
Its a HUGE problem. Does not prescribe narcotic pain meds >>>>>>>>>>> -- DonHo-kieHi 12/21/2016 07:11AM
Recently had surgery to remove 13mm x 5mm disc extrusion. L5 S1 -- sss 12/21/2016 4:18PM
I can't take the strong stuff, the stuff make me so foggy I can't stand it -- fordham 12/21/2016 10:14AM
Good for you, doc! A huge problem is over prescribing for pain. ** -- reestuart 12/21/2016 09:43AM
You just lost my business. :) ** -- CPRVHokie 12/21/2016 09:41AM
My wife is a nurse and would disagree with that assessment, I think. -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 08:40AM
Double blind peer reviewed studies...more than one. Whats to disagree with? ** -- DonHo-kieHi 12/21/2016 09:18AM
I dunno- that's why I'm going to ask a medical professional ** -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:30AM
A medical professional put my mother on hydrocodone for arthritis -- DonHo-kieHi 12/21/2016 09:36AM
My wife has been practicing for over 25 years -- WestEndHokie39 12/21/2016 09:43AM
C'mon man! Just this one time! -- 48zip 12/21/2016 08:27AM
Send some doctors to prison. No legislation needed ** -- One4VT 12/21/2016 05:57AM
Blacksburg doctor raided by DEA this September (link) -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 09:19AM
They have to be guilty of breaking a law. Hence legislation. -- CPRVHokie 12/21/2016 07:04AM
Because there cant possibly be existing laws they are breaking ** -- One4VT 12/21/2016 11:46AM
Maybe not. Can a state tell a doctor what they can/cannot prescribe? -- 48zip 12/21/2016 1:08PM
Kermit WV is where some of my dad's family was from -- VPI 02 12/21/2016 05:03AM
That's 23k pills/person, In Kermit, the police need to get involved, ** -- Betabeachbum 12/21/2016 12:48AM
Lawsy! IF, those numbers are correct? That's just preposterously, sick. -- bourbonstreet 12/21/2016 01:10AM
PBS "Frontline" episode on relationship between pills & heroin (link) -- DJ Golf 12/21/2016 08:12AM