Jackson Jambalaya

Read: I'm a druggie. I can't stand pain and need to mask it. I don't want to wean off, I'd rather my insurance keep on paYing for my enjoyment.

Sure. Some people legitimately need these drugs. And there are provisions for them. Some physicians are dealing in these drugs and know it, and they are no better than the drug dealer on the street. There are 'patients dealing drugs as well that are making good dollars under the guise of their 'pain'.

There needs to be a common sense solution. What the Board is proposing isn't it. But what many of these patients, and doctors, are wanting isn't it either.

It amazes me that people (patients) actually believe that doctors know more about medication than our esteemed legislators and governor.

I have voted republican for decades. I can assure you it was not because I want myself or anyone else to take a mandatory drug test to be prescribed medications that may be needed for a better quality of life based on an educated MD's opinion. Let the doctor decide if absuse is an issue before requiring a drug test. Otherwise I'll consider voting democrate for the next statewide election. At least I know what they really stand for. Republicans are suppose to be about getting government out of my life, not making laws so strict that I have to go to the doctor to get a prescription for OTC cold meds.

It appears that many people w/ experience w/ opioids have voiced their concern. Is anyone listening?

Gov. Bryant, listen to the song "Still Gonna Die", written by Shel Silverstein and performed by the Old Dogs. The premise is basically this: regardless of how good (or bad) someone's lifestyle, that individual is not immune from that finality of life which we call death.

Hey SOS, I'm a heroin addict. How about making that legal so that I don't have to buy it on the street.

Yes, I can make the case that "I've gotta have it" - why shouldn't I be treated the same?

Like the earlier comment - there are some legitimate patient needs. Does the proposed regulations take care of them? How does requiring the doc checking the PMP before issuing a script make an undue burden? If it does, why in the hell do we operate a PMP?

We require Docs and Pharmacists to check the script system before filling a script for Medicaid patients to make sure we are not giving those folks (where we pay for their drugs) more than they need, for any purpose - heart, diabetes, psycho, whatever. Why is it any more burdensome to input the PMP before prescribing an addictive opioid?

If opioids are such an epidemic, why are they not removing the barriers to opening methadone type clinics in MS? Guess how may there are.

Because, if they stoke the ire of the protestant tut-tutters, there's enough of a moral panic for the lawyers to swoop in and sue the living bejesus out of the manufacturers.

I don't give the first flying rat's fanny if the neighbor down the street throws his life away on pills. Doesn't affect me if he can buy legally and easily( like the legislators do their booze), or in a best case scenario, seek treatment without stigma and never use again. Reality is that me, or my loved ones are more likely to be affected by the corrupt legislators bought and paid for by the trial lawyers, probation lobby, private prisons, et al on this foolish morality crusade. And a great side effect is that our heroes in blue can ignore crimes with victims to jam up some half wit, small time drug dealer, seize everything they own and get grants from the Feds to buy an MRAP and a bunch of other shit they neither know how to use or maintain.

Serious question for all you law and order types. Given the Epps trial and how long all those conspirators have been spared reporting to prison...do you think a drug dealer selling pilfered prescription pills would get the same leniency?

Honestly, baptists, let the druggies have cheap and unfettered access to prescription drugs. They won't have to rob to feed their habit and take themselves out of the gene pool. And people that actually need the drugs won't have to bend a knee to our benevolent rulers. Win - win.

many cops are lazy. the war on drugs waged for the last 50 years hasn't put even a dent in the illegal drugs flowing into this country, including opium used to make heroin. this is classic deflection propaganda: draw attention away from the criminals that are very rarely caught and punished and deflect the attention to the evil doctors and their patients who take "too many" pills. yet use statistics from overdoses from street drugs to prop up the fallacy that there is a prescription drug epidemic.

The legislature needs to rein in Dowdy and Fischer NOW.

There is plenty of counterfeit stuff on the street, most of it laced with dangerous chemicals to make it more addictive. Once you remove these people from a doctor's care, Katy bar the door.

This has been done in several states. As Bomgar stated clearly, in these states the death rates went up. Its just data.

It takes a sissy to know one. John should go home to the wife and 8 kids he left ten years ago. That was a sissy move to top all sissies.

legalize pot. this all goes away with the smooth smoke of a joint...

I don't mean to sound like a stuck up prick, but this is what happens when we allow people with no medical knowledge to be making decisions regarding healthcare. John Dowdy's comments highlight the stupidity of the people handling this problem. He has no clue what he is talking about, and should have been reprimanded for those comments.

too many Trump wanna be's in this state. there is only one Trump whether you love him or hate him. all these imitations are embarrassing themselves.

4:14 - your opening comment is correct. Allowing people with no medical knowledge to be making decisions regarding healthcare. All of these individuals that are talking about their "need" for these drugs have no medical knowledge. Why are their letters concerning to us?

as has been said before, I'm not sure that the Medical Board's actions are the absolute solution, but they are the people with medical knowledge. In my non-medical opinion, the proposed regulations might need to be tweaked, but unfettered access to these addictive drugs needs to be stopped. Doctors prescribing these drugs like they are candy needs to stop. Doctors prescribing these drugs because the patients claim they are in just "too much pain" needs to stop. Doctors prescribing these drugs without checking to see if the patient is also obtaining them from other Docs (PMP) needs to stop.

But Doctors that are doing their job, treating their patients, evaluating their situation fairly, need to have the ability to prescribe them when appropriate.

KF, What is the next step with this? What has to happen for it to pass and what can we do to try to stop it? Someone said on Facebook that it’s already passed?

12:29....what does this mean?

"There are 'patients dealing drugs as well that are making good dollars under the guise of their 'pain'."

Making money under the guise of their 'pain'? WHAT?

You see, what we sissies need is rehab because we’re all addicts-just ask A.A. members. One drink a year and you’re an addict!
For your convenience, a board member is offering his rehab services at a premium because what is deemed good for you by the nanny state is good for the statist crony Goose AND gander.

***Don’t have the money to pay for that drug test? Go take out a loan. Sell your kidney, and if you can’t do that maybe your kids. We won’t say anything. As long as the state gets yours from you, “we good!”

*****And when you inadvertently have to pay to defend the state in federal lawsuit, you need to be a good citizen and shut up. Lawyahs need money too.

Good Morning to all the Clarion-Ledger and TV News reporters checking in to JJ for story ideas -- and the opportunity to rip off some research to call your own! AND shout out to Donna Ladd who reads JJ every single day!

724, evidently you haven't kept up with the backstory. Short version - 'patients' that get scripts from multiple doctors in short period of time that fill script and sell the pills on the street. $40 / pill current street value. Certainly not all, or most, patients. But a common practice.

How do you know the street value 8:52?

Why would they discontinue tried and true Methadone treatment in favor of the new opioid Suboxone???
$$$ The Opioid Grant won't allow people to be put on anything but Suboxone!!!! THIS IS CRIMINAL with Easterling making the regs to enrich himself while addicting patients leading many to heroin and death. he should be held acccountable. isn't this akin to pork-belly politics?

You couldn't be more wrong saying that docs know all about medicines bc if they did,they would know that different molecules of the opium plant are synthesized and utilized for different types of pain and are most effective for that specific pain. They would've known that the opium poppy has been used for 1000's of years for pain but is highly addictive,instead of blindly trusting in Purdue's pretty salesmen's pitch that OxyContin wasn't addictive and chronic pain patients could safely be on it forever WO any problems. They would've read ab the studies conducted as far back as 2003 that showed impairment and atrophy of the brain on opiates in long tem use.They would know that you don't give it for moderate occasional pain.
But we're here now and the MBML docs are making yet another horrible ill informed decision based on their wallets.Id like to know the prescribing history of each and every member of this "board", not the patients' names but the meds these docs have prescribed,the amounts and for what indications. I'd think the PMP or at least the SIssy Dowdy can compile this info.

Admissions intake counselor told me they're phasing out methadone for Suboxone but wouldn't give a reason why. She said "don't worry.if you find you can't stop the opiates, we have a doctor that'll presccribe the newest maintenance drug while you're in rehab. His name is Dr Easterling from Vicksburg." How is this even possible? He gets us addicted to something else so we leave rehab more screwed than before.That grant is going to be the worst thing that ever happened to us/MS. I don't have insurance and now have to get off Suboxone now and am scared to death.Ive seen the withdrrawals of friends from it and its worse than pills or heroin and makes you pray for death

@10:05. I think you've just come up w MBN head's new nickname....SISSY DOWDY siuts him nicely...no disrespect to any sissies tho

Oh, boy, I was just waiting for this "news". It's all Obama's fault (per the GOP), just like everything else. REPUBLICANS ARE BLAMING OBAMACARE FOR THE OPIOID CRISIS

What the hell is happening? We lay people are told to go to the doctor if we're hurt because the doctors have been trained to heal us. How dare we question the treatment because they're the medical professionals and only have 7 mins max to meet with you. We're told that they couldn't possibly harm us because they are kept in check by the fear of malpractice lawsuits,AMA,DEA,MBN,CDC and our State board of licensure. We are told to take theses meds as prescribed so we do,being told we won't get addicted. Now years later we're "being thrown to the wolves" by the very wolves that created this hellish existence,all the while being told its our fault and that we are moral failures with delicate natures, just because we did what we were told by the leaned ones who know all.

How can these people who've been on opiates long term think clearly to get off these narcotics if they have brain impairment? And not one of these doctors,thought it might be imortant to advise the patient of the possibility of brain damage? How has Purdue's crriminality been allowed to go unpunished when they spent $1.1 Billion with a "B" in marketing and compensation to deceive and pay off the doctors thereby deceiving patients? I know Purdue paid $600 million to settle their lawsuits with some of the States,which is only a small fraction of the trillions they've made killing and addicting people. President Trump's Opioid Czar Chris Chrtistie handed $600 million back to Big Pharma last year to "develop non-addictive pain relievers".These are the very despicable nasty demons who created this epidemic and Christie gives them a refund/bonus for it.SMH

Isn't there a hugely powerful Ivory Tower super-law firm headquartered in Jackson who represents Big Pharma in product liability cases??? I'm actually shocked that anyone would say a trial lawyer who's trying to get justice for the people and attempting to right the many wrongs of DEADLY CORPORATE GREED is an ambulance chaser trying to get rich.How many people has this "prestigious" ubber law firm of 330+ attorneys helped their masters addict,maim amd kill? Have none of these inhuman cretans heard that you reap what you sow,the Golden Rule or Kharma. How about this:whatever you put out into the world will return to you tenfold. Is that simple enough for you Death Makers in the tower?

Doesn't the Attorney General need to step up? Where the hell is JIM HOOD in all of this? How can he allow the WOLVES to make the regulations AND profit from them causing even more death and destruction? I'm not being dramatic, I'm referring to the easily verifiable stats from other states that have already passed these draconian regs.
Get your body bags ready coroners bc it's going to be like the plague here very very soon! And get excited you parents of middle-schoolers and teens because the heroin is not only flowing in from Jalisco,Mexico but a new surge from Afghanistan and they are specifically instructed to deal in the suburbs in "soft" markets (see Dreamland by Sam Quinones) to create life long customers...that is IF they survive any overdoses.

Hard to take the medical profession serious when medical accidents kill more people each year than car accidents.

@8:52 & 9:20- it's easily verifiable that the pills go for about $1/gram so 80 mg OxyContin will sale for $80. I guess I should say they USED to cost that because now the MBML,etc regs will most likely quadruple the black market price....thank you so very much MBML,TPTB and Big Pharrma. What happens when a legit pain patient is forced to go to the streets and can't afford the new black market price???
HEROIN HAPPENS or FENTANYL if you're that unlucky.Never thought I'd see Heroin as the lesser of 2 evils,the problem is that you're still choosing evil

This sissy survived a near fatal accident,numerous surgeries and learned to walk again.Ive been under a reputable doctor's care for close to 2 decades and on OxyContin/Oxycodone for all those years.I have withdrawn from these opiates and it was harder than learning to walk again. I have excruciating bone pain every second of every minute of every day and CBD oil and the natural non-lethal homeopathic cannabis,that many of our great grandparents used legally to treat ailments, are the only way Im alive and functioning this very moment.
Mr Dowdy stop sending your meth "agents" to spread the "reefer madness" propaganda. I dare you to call me a sissy to my face you impotent little worm.

You've all got it wrong....they don't mind you being on opioids...as long as you are on THEIR synthetic opioids that put $$$ in their back pockets. They don't mind you being on cannabis as long as you're on their synthetic cannabis from Insys.They don't mind you being on amphetamines as long as you're on their amphetamines.They don't mind you being on tranquilizers as long as you're on their benzos. It's so upside down and not going to change until we demand a better more sane and safer homeopathic approach to treating illnesses

2:46 nailed. New patent for synthetic marijuana, yet the God manufactured kind will get you in trouble. Just wait until they roll out the pharmaceutical version. I bet they crack down hard on the real kind to keep market hot for their cronies. Google patent for synthetic marijuana.

Dogooder ignorant callous politicians .. soulless bureaucrats. This option is even being denied terminal cancer patients. MDs, specialists such as oncologists are legally denied prescription rights to a legitimate 100+ year old synthetic drug that is very inexpensive while extremely effective for pain relief. This is a tyrant in bureaucrats clothes. Follow the money !

I hope you parents or loved ones of children with epilepsy or seizure disorders enjoyed having a semblance of normal life with help from CBD oil because if Sessions and Insys have their way they'll be making criminals out of you by making this life-changing homeopathic medicine illegal AGAIN!
Take a look at Insys Therapeutics website and you'll see that they're a CORPORATE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER OF THE CHILD NEUROLOGY ASSOCIATION.Translation=unless you want to pump your child full of their chemical poison with many unknown side effects and not nearly as effective or safe as CBD oil, prepare to be arrested and become a "client" of CPS with the possibility of loosing custody to the State.So then the State will then give your child the chemical poison of Insys.
Insys has to increase their profits due to the lagging sales of their fentanyl spray caused by the "unfortunate opioid epidemic".

Hey Sissy MBN,DEA,FDA,BIG PHARMA,"Dogooder" Politicians,TPTB: God called and wants you all to read Genesis regarding God giving man dominion over plants. Who do you think you are to make poisons based on His natural creations and criminalize those who wish to do AS GOD COMMANDED by healing themselves according to His Word.

You have stolen from God and put yourselves above Him. I would not want to be you on Judgment Day

The potheads really come out in full force on this thread. Do us a favor, smoke a bowl, roll over on your futon, and eat some cheezits. Oh, and get a job doing something other than waiting tables, framing, or slinging burgers, and get out of your mom’s spare bedroom. Pot makes you stupid and lazy and we have more than enough of that in Mississippi.

Hey, 10:46, if pot makes one stupid and lazy, then how do the potheads hold down jobs waiting tables, framing, or slinging burgers? And just curious why you have issue with honest work?

What we have more than enough of in Mississippi is entitled, connected jackasses that feel like they need to rule everyone else.

As enchanting as I find our discourse, I need to get back to framing. Not pot involved.

@10:46 Hey Einstein,cannabis IS the way out of this opioid epidemic...as well as being the most lucrative cash crop in the world and we have some of the most fertile land here in MS.I have an advanced degree, haven't slept on a futon in decades and haven't done those other jobs you were meaning as a slur. Unless you do your own construction or prepare every meal at your abode, you should not shit talk about the service industry because they're a vital component completely necessary for a thriving economy and society.

How about you go back to your little life full of stereotypes, get drunk on your chemical GMO soup you call beer and let the big folks take care of this one. And it's Cheetos you idiot mf'r, cheezits are to put in children's lunch boxes for recess!

@10:46 Let me guess...you were never liked or accepted by your peers.Perthaps you should go see a therapist about that because, judging by your comment, you haven't improved as an adult.