Opioids organization advocates for the rights of chronic pain patients on opioids?

[LucidSDreamr]

Is there such an organization. With all the community town hall meetings, politicians demonizing opioids to the parents of kids and "do-gooders", pharmacists refusing to give people MD prescribed drugs out of prejudice, and the criminal justice system that wants less people to legally aquire them so they can arrest people turning to the blackmarket. you get the idea. It seems like MDs themselves are the only ones that understand and sympathize with patiens.

Is there an organization that advocates the rights of chronic pain sufferers? That lobbys for them and prevents legislation from passing that leaves them in the ER because they get dumped by their Dr or pharmacist without notice for illogical reasons. That prevents the legislating of irrational fear based broad banning of opioids. And that focuses on preventing abuse/blackmarket use and pill mills which are responsible for all the abuse that has happened and ruin it for the people that really need these meds to be functioning members of society.

There must be someone out there looking out for pain patients, otherwise I could see lawmakers just banning them altogether to "save the children" and earn votes in the public eye.

All I ever see on the news is stories about how "out of control" t prescription drug wproblem is...and it is...but they act like these drugs are purely for getting high and that there are not people who could NOT be functioning productive happy members of society without them.

 

[Rybee]

No that I know of in England. We tend to have charities/organisations that fight for individual's rights for treatment with particular illnesses, such as societies for those with MS/Cancer/Fibromyalgia etc...

 

[Felonious Monk]

Harm Reduction Coalition is getting close. Also Drug Policy Alliance. Though neither of them are quite drug users unions, which have sprung up in several cities--not sure if they still exist though (the one in SF was the strongest, and I remember something about Portland and Seattle too). The Pacific NW also probably has the most progressive policies, so you might be able to find some organizations up there.

If you want something locally you're probably best off trying to start it yourself. Get junkies registered to vote. Advocate for access to clean needles. Make your voice heard.

^obviously things like that (exercising your constitutional rights), is difficult in some places (read: conservative/rural/suburban areas), so be careful that you don't end up in legal trouble because of political activities

 

[SixBuckets]

INPUD is the international drug users organisation. They have a focus on injecting and illicit drugs, but they also advocate heavily for legalisation and access.

There are peer drug user organisations in some Australian states and I've heard of similar in the US.