Police State: Sheriffs Want Access to Medical Records of Drug Users

[marmar]

via AlterNet:




Posted by johncole at 11:49 am
September 9, 2010

Police State: Sheriffs Want Access to Medical Records of Drug Users
Posted by johncole on @ 11:49 am


This post first appeared on Balloon Juice.

At what point do we just give in and accept that we are a fascist state:

Sheriffs in North Carolina want access to state computer records identifying anyone with prescriptions for powerful painkillers and other controlled substances.The state sheriff’s association pushed the idea Tuesday, saying the move would help them make drug arrests and curb a growing problem of prescription drug abuse. But patient advocates say opening up people’s medicine cabinets to law enforcement would deal a devastating blow to privacy rights.

Allowing sheriffs’ offices and other law enforcement officials to use the state’s computerized list would vastly widen the circle of people with access to information on prescriptions written for millions of people. As it stands now, doctors and pharmacists are the main users.

Gee. It probably would make it easier to make drug arrests if you had a list of people using prescription drugs. You could go to their house, knock in their door, and you are probably guaranteed to find drugs! And then you could seize any loose cash, the drugs, and any property you think might have been involved in the drug use, call their abode a “crack den” and seize that too. And then it is up to the person using a legally prescribe substance to prove they are innocent to get their property back.

At some point, people are going to realize that the war on drugs and the war on terrorism are actually declarations of war on the rights of the American citizen. Can anyone anywhere give me one good reason why some fascist cop in North Carolina needs to know what my doctor prescribed to me? Just one.

And it goes without saying the kind of negative effect this will have on pain management. This is just another attempt to intimidate doctors.


http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/09/09/police-state-sheriffs-want-access-to-medical-records-of-drug-users/

[truedelphi]

1. It took me over four years to get very needed pain meds

And that was in California, supposedly a bastion of liberal advocacy.

And then it took me another two years to find a doctor who helped me find out why I was in pain.

Once we figured that an allergy was part of the problem, and got me off the wheat that caused my stomach and bowel inflammation, I was able to reduce my pain meds by at least 50%

We really are a fascist state.

[Supply Side Jesus]

4. Come to Colorado

they hand them out like candy

[DCKit]

2. I've been denied antibiotics b'cause they thought I wanted "drugs". n/t

[Supply Side Jesus]

hmmm...

The Sheriff is trying to identify those who prescription shop. Multiple prescriptions from various doctors all for the same medication, is a serious problem.

It's easy to sit back and scream "POLICE STATE" when you've never had to clean up a OD.

The Sheriff is going about it wrong, HIPPA provides protection. Though something has to be done to prevent these prescription shopping and subsequent dealings and deaths.

Personally, I grow weary of the prescription drug abuse and all the peripheral that surround it.

A short time ago, I spoke to a Father who was greatly concerned about her daughter abusing narcotics. He told me, the Son was getting multiple prescriptions. The family got him put in a hospital for an evaluation, but was released in a few days. When I spoke with him he produced a single MED bottle vowing it was his only one. Father implored us, knowing he was lying. As an adult, and not making any suicidal statements I advised the Father, there was nothing we could really do. I gave him some community resources and options and expressed how sorry I was for hi situation. He thanked me and I left.

3 days later the son was dead on the Father's couch, OD. Left behind 2 daughters and a dog. Scream Police state, but I am tied of seeing the ravages of pills.

[mysuzuki2]

3. I have three things to say about this

NO!, NO! and HELL, NO!