Church Culpability in Utah Drug Problem?

[ERMD]

This thing is a hit-piece.  It takes a national issue that physicians have been dealing with for years (with no one listening) and pushes it onto the Church in Utah.  The claim basically is that Mormons become addicted because of the Church, and non-Mormons become addicted because of the Church.

 

 

[Robert F. Smith]

6 hours ago, Gervin said:

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/utah-mormons-prescription-painkiller-addiction

discuss

Blaming imagined perfectionism in Mormonism for the opioid epidemic is nonsense.  This epidemic is taking down whole communities in various parts of the USA where Mormons play no role at all, and in which perfectionism does not exist.  The pharmaceutical companies and doctors are the real culprits here, and are seen by patients as professional and trustworthy.  Thus, prescribed pain-killers seem O.K., until addiction takes over.

I know of a young woman (the daughter of a close friend) who had a bout of encephalitis while a student at BYU.  She was given pain-killers as standard procedure.  She became addicted through no fault of her own.  Next she was taking heroine in Provo.  Her father got her into a Utah rehab program, but it only worked temporarily.  Soon she was back home in California and addicted once more.  In order to pay for her habit, she began selling herself on the street.  This happens to many good men and women who see no other way to feed their habit.

Sad to see anti-Mormons using this to gain traction for their own ignoble purposes.

[Scott Lloyd]

7 hours ago, bluebell said:

I don't really get the argument.

From what i've read, the idea is that people get hooked on these drugs because being a mormon is too stressful and impossible to do unless you are medicated.  However, none of them actually became addicted because of stress.  They all became addicted after hurting themselves physically and needing the drugs for pain management.

Also, the very first story is a little off.  The woman said that her sister never knew she had a problem because the drugs were prescribed by a doctor and that she died thinking everything was fine.  But she also says that her sister died after her doctor refused to prescribe them anymore and the sister turned to heroin.   Taking heroin would be a sign that things weren't  fine' for anyone in their right mind.  And if someone isn't in their right mind, then how they view their problem really isn't relevant to the actual problem since they are incapable of seeing it clearly.

I do have a lot of sympathy for people who find themselves hooked to prescription drugs.  It's WAY easier than we think it is.  My mother is a nurse and she sees it all the time.  When something feels good, and we have access to it, and we can justify it in our minds as being legit, justifying it is simple.

I know a very good man, active in the Church, who got took prescription drugs to deal with his back pain, got hooked and couldn't kick the addiction. He got into more and more, including alcohol, and eventually died of an overdose.

A sad, sad story.

[Storm Rider]

7 hours ago, cinepro said:

The best way to determine "Church culpability" is to ask yourself this:

Suppose the First Presidency called you in and said "Hey, we're really concerned about prescription drug abuse among the Saints, and we would like some suggestions on how we can prevent it and help those suffering from it, what should we change?"

What would you say?

I would say create an addition treatment group to discuss it.  Oh, sorry that is already being done in every stake in the Church.

I would teach people that drugs are not something used lightly.  Oh, well I guess that is being done for every person in the USA.  Of course, the Church teaches the WofW which some even include caffeine as a no-no.  

I would offer counseling to those affected.  Oh, that is also being done already.

I give up.  What do you think the Church should do more except take away individual's free agency and force them into long-term treatment.

[James Tunney]

Opiates are a problem all over, not just in Utah or among mormons.

[Nemesis]

9 hours ago, Gervin said:

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/utah-mormons-prescription-painkiller-addiction

discuss

THis is how not to start a discussion.