In its effort to prevent the diversion of prescription pain medications into the illicit market, the DEA moved last month to bar two Florida CVS drug stores from selling the drugs. But last Wednesday, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled the agency had gone too far and temporary blocked the DEA's order.

The DEA had argued that the two CVS pharmacies in Sanford, Florida, were inappropriately filling prescriptions for oxycodone, an opioid pain reliever that is widely used. The DEA also said there were "suspicious" sales of other controlled substances.
But CVS argued that the DEA's enforcement actions were "arbitrary and capricious," that it had already taken steps to address DEA concerns, and that it would suffer "irreparable harm" if not allowed to fill prescriptions for controlled substances at its pharmacies.
A federal district court judge had initially blocked the DEA order, but allowed it to take effect on last Tuesday. CVS immediately appealed the decision.
This is the second prescription medicine provider the DEA has gone after in this manner in Florida. Earlier, the agency issued an order to Cardinal Health Inc. to prevent it from selling prescription drugs from its warehouse facility in Lakeland, Florida. Cardinal Health's client pharmacies include the two Sanford CVS stores. Cardinal Health had already won a similar stay, but last Friday, the same DC appeals court upheld the DEA order.
The DEA has identified Florida as an epicenter of an "epidemic" of non-presciption use of opioid pain relievers and has moved aggressively against doctors it accused of operating "pill mills" in the state. Florida is the home of more than 500 pain clinics, down from more than 700 last year after the state tightened regulations on them this year.
DEA and CVS must file responses to the appeals court order next week. In the meantime, CVS can still fill prescriptions and its customers can still pick them up.
Could it be?
Someone in the DEA wants us to see the idiocy in not allowing people access to their medicine of choice, so he put forth this effort--knowing it would be blocked as unreasonable, just as the crackdown on medical marijuana is unreasonable.
Either that, or they're just a bunch of idiots.
What to believe, what to believe . . .
opiates
Legalize Cannabis and forget the pills . Some of `em anyway . A good strong indica will replace previous pain management techniques .
weed cant help some pain
man i have been dealing with pain for years and i smoked a good indaca and it didn't help much just made me real paranoid i have paranoia problems and people like me cant smoke because of it so i do need pain meds otherwise i cant continue living my life i cant even walk without them so ya cant get rid of all pills and not everyone who takes them are druggies like the dea thinks and all this is bull shit no other country deals with this shit America has the worst pain management in the world because of the dea getting involved with doctor treatment of patients and i dont like taking them but i have to otherwise i am bed ridden and there is no weed strong enough to help me with that it may help you but there is a different pain management for every person and you need to be more open to that yes i agree weed needs to be legal for allot of reasons but its not the answer to everything
.
Does your medical condition also prevent you from using punctuation?
There's always a smart ass to
There's always a smart ass to reply on something other than the topic!!!!!!!! Did I get my punctuation correct?
weed as pain management
. As for the paranoia, well, that sounds perfectly reasonable to me, considering the illegality of the substance and the fact that it the smell of your breath and the look in your eyes ,body language, etc. actually makes it nearly impossible to hide. I have extensive personal knowledge both first and second hand of the addiction of pain pills and it is a fact that much of the pain of withdrawal is as bad or worse than the pain meant to relieve. I would ask you to ask yourself "do I need or do I want the pain pills" before I would believe that you can't find relief from weed. Sorry if this offends you, I assure you I have no reason to stress you out.
Medicinal Marijuana
I read your comment twice to make sure I understood your situation; yeah; if you have paranoia weed is not for your; for example if you smoke weed and then you are afraid of being busted or of side effects then forget about mmj; I would say this: Weed can actually make your condtion get better; helps your appetite ; Weed could actually rtreat and cure some of your symptoms as opposed ot pain mangement; Weed makes me feel better I have anorexia the eating disorder; weed makes me eat this is the the primary reason i use medical marijuana...
weed can't help some pain
Dude, I totally agree with you. The DEA is going after everyone because of the people who are abusing the pain medication. If I don't take my pain meds, I will be on the couch 24/7. Before my pain management Dr., I was just laying around like a bump on a log. Now, I am up every morning and able to do things that I couldn't do before. The DEA is going about this all wrong. They are punishing people who really need these meds to help them. What do they think is going to happen? People got on pain medication to help them. Yea there are people abusing it in every way possible, but don't punish the people who are legit. Do they think that after you are off the pain meds its going to be like magic, and poof im all fixed? Not gonna happen. People who need this medication are going to be at square one again.
Partially True
Actually, that's not 100% true. Marijuana works as an effective pain reliever for some conditions and for other conditions (and patients), traditional opiates are more effective. This is exactly why I do not donate to these types of groups. Instead of pushing for an end to the drug war, period, they devolve into one issue campaigns, in this case for the legalization of marijuana. Having talked to chronic pain patients and researched into chronic pain issues, I can state that marijuana is effective for some and not for others. They should be free to choose what works best for them. In other words, it should not be a crime to use certain substances without regard to the way in which they are used. We are supposed to believe that we are free and yet, we cannot even determine which substances to put into our bodies. What a joke.
The hype about opiates started with the Bush Administration and has continued into the present administration (probably because many Bush appointees are still around). We are supposed to believe that everyone who takes pain pills winds up as a heroin addict or risks overdose. Yet, when you compare the number of folks who are prescribed such drugs with the very low rates of heroin addicts and users (relative to users of other 'illicit' drugs), this argument simply doesn't add up. Of course, overdose deaths make better news stories than anecdotes about people who are able to live more productive lives because they can use opiate medications to ameliorate their pain-related issues.
and screw the dea if people
and screw the dea if people want to be druggies let them and let them overdose and die it would make the country a better place to get rid of them loser fucking people anyway good riddance i say who cares if someone sells their meds and someone dies its not their fault its the moron that took them so i say make everything legal and get rid of all the dumb asses that are going to die from overdose anyway
DEA COWARDS
LET ME GET TO THE POINT AND YEAH I WILL MISSPELL SOME OF MY WORDS, THE DEA TAKES THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE!! CHUMPS GOT THERE TAILS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS. SURE GO AFTER THE DOCTORS WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE WITH VARIETY OF ISSUES, WHY NOT SPEND TIME TRACKING DOWN THE DEALERS WHO ARE SELLING ON THE STREETS? AFRAID YOU MIGHT CATCH A WELL DESERVED BULLET TO THE SPINE? THEN THEY CAN GO THROUGH THE PURE MISSERY THE REST OF US LEGIT PATIENTS GO THROUGH EVERY FUCKING MONTH.ITS PURLY INHUMANE TO TAKE THIS SITUATION OUT ON EVERYONE WHO PAYS CASH. THE DAMAGE IS DONE!!! I AM AN ADICT FOR LIFE NOW BECAUSE I FINALLY FOUND A WAY TO COPE AND ENJOY A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE. DONT THEY UNDERSTAND THE MORE THEY PUNISH AND TAKE PAIN MEDS AWAY FROM US, MORE PEOPLE WILL BE TURNING TO DISABILITY, OR WORSE HEROIN?? THIS PRODUCT GETS INYO YHR BODY LIKE NOTHING IVE EVERY EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE!! IM SCREWED BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE SERIOUS INJURIES AND BOTCHED SURGURIES. SO LEAVE US ALONE AND GO AFTER THE STREET DEALERS BECAUSE WE ARE SADLY HOOKED FOR LIFE. AND BEING WAY UNDER PRESCRIBED EVERY MONTH AS IT IS. WHO THE FUCK EVER ALLOWED THIS DEA IN PHARMACIES SHOULD BE EXICUTED!!AND SCREW YOUR PATHETIC STATS ON OVERDOSES, I BLAME THE FAMILIES WHO IGNORE THE TELL TALE SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE, THEN WANNA CRY BOOHOO WHEN THEIR LOVED ONE DIES!!!HEAR MY VIOLIN PLAYING?? FUCKEM LET THE IDIOTS WHO OD DIE !!!I GET ENOUGH MEDS TO EASILY OD, BUT INSTEAD I TAKE AS DIRECTED BY A DOCTOR WHO UNDERSTANDS THIS MEDICATIOPN AND SPENT COUNTLESS HRS STUDYING. NOT YOU MORONS WITH DEA JACKETS AND HARD ONS FOR COMADATIONS. YOU THE GOVERNMENT ARE GOING ABOUT THIS THE WRONG WAY, AND ONLY CREATING EMPLOYMENT FOR YOURSELVES WHEN WE ALL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO TURN TO HEROIN, AND FOR THE RECORD I HAVE NEVER BEEN UNEMPLOYEED OR BEEN IN TROUBL!!! BUT YOU TAKE MY SCRIPTS FROM ME THEN ILL DRAW DISABILITY AND SUPPORT TERRORIST BY COPING DOPE. THANKS ALOT U FUCKING DUMMIES!!!I PRAY KARMA COMES 10 FOLD ON U JARHEAD PIGS!!!
full of old, decrepit people in pain
Why is this news, or a controversy. Another wild goose chase for nothing. Florida is a retirement haven full of old, decrepit people in pain. Non-issue, non news. Pure government harassment. Get rid of all these useless federal agencies, and if not soon, then we should be thinking French Revolution / October 17th thoughts about them. They are not our friends.
PROOF OF DISCRIMINATION
HERE ARE PHARMACY TECHS MOCKING US!! JUST GO TO THE "STUDENT DOCTOR NETWORK" WEBSITE AND READ THE FORUMS SPECIFICLY "PROPER VERBAGE WHEN REFUSING TO FILL A CLASS2 SCHEDULEII NARCOTIC" PLEASE LMK LETS STAND UP AND DEMAND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HIPPA RIGHTS!! PLEASE EMAIL ME IF ANY LEGAL OR OTHER WAYS WE CAN GET OUR FREEDOM BACK, GOD SPEED
Typical
Some of the above comments are the reason why I am reticent about fully supporting the so-called anti-drug war groups. The typical mantra is that pills are bad and marijuana is good. The reality is that people should have the right to any substances so long as they are using them responsibly. Chronic pain patients are completely left out of the debate on the war on drugs. If "big pharma" were really behind the push to make pain medications more available, the big pharmaceutical companies could probably put enough money into political campaigns to direct the DEA's attention elsewhere. Yet, the DEA, since the latter days of the Bush jr. Administration, has focused much of its attention on so-called prescription drug abuse, with the help of a complicit media, which has hyped a few overdose deaths (among millions of users who never have any problems). I've never seen a pain patient interviewed on television who benefits from the opiate drugs or a televised discussion about the millions of people who use them responsibly without managing to overdose on them. Indeed, opium has been used medicinally at least as long as marijuana and arguably much longer.
The fact is that most narcotic or opiate pain pills have been around for so long that they can be bought cheaply as generics. If anything, "big pharma" would like to have these opiate drugs outlawed so they can push newer nonopoid-based drugs which bring in bigger profits, because generics are not available. For example, Celebrex (or take your pick), a non-opiate drug, costs several times as much as say, Vicodin, which has been around for a while and is available as a cheap generic drug.
Florida: war on pain & suffering
The above comments all have merit.However the laws passed by the republican controlled house, senate, and Governor,are now taking effect. Our elected official promised to get government regulation out of our private lives: What could be more private and personal than health care, your doctor, and your pain? I thought they learned with the Sheivo case:The government has no place between the doctor/patient relationship.Law enforcement needs to find another revenue stream. I predict deadly force will be used in a physicians office within the next few months in Florida. Pain patients (6 to 7 out of every 10 of us) are told their pain is either mental (good luck getting that covered in Florida) but most likely: suddenly after being maintained successfully on a modest amount of meds for decades allowing for productive lives, your doctor turns to you and accuses you of drug and addiction issues and tosses you out of the practice.At least be honest with your patient. Do not shame them. This only adds to the alarming suicide rate in our state for non treated and under-treated pain. [During Gov Jeb Bush Administration, those stats stopped being collected.] Explain to your patient that you went to medical (other related fields) school because you were passionate about helping pain and suffering in the world. Tell them of your amazement that the legislature and Governor, and their agents(law enforcement) now are the only ones allowed to diagnose and treat their pain.Go vote. Tell them why. Pain patients ARE the majority in Florida.You are NOT criminals.
I live in Florida it sux
If you were a horse
If you we're a horse we would have to shoot you
Florida and the fear of DEA is over the top
Florida and the fear of DEA is over the top
Florida and the fear of DEA is over the top
Can't get my prescriptions for pain filled
I am in physical torment 24/7. My pain is through the roof from neck and back injuries, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Osteo arthritis, etc. Not knowing if I will ever get better leaves me in a horrible state of mind. I've been treated so badly by Doctors I hate to go every month. I am treated like a common criminal, I am being punished because I can't function with out pain medicine. Finally the pain management doctor got me to a point that I could function for 6 to 8 hours a day. The pain never goes away completely, but even getting down to a six on a pain chart of one to ten, ten being the highest is a great relief. Now I cannot fill my prescriptions for pain. I don't know what is to come. I can't get help or answers from anyone in health care. My quality of life is at a zero, my pain is excruciating all the day, sleep is my only relief and I am awaken by pain several times a night. I am not a quiter but I need help and guidance. I've got to find a way to get my prescriptions filled. I've heard of mail ordering prescriptions, however, I don't know who can be trusted.Any advice, help, guidance is welcome. Thank you. LilBit.....
can't fill pain medication
forced to buy my pain meds from high price no rx online,et al
(preface: aplogies for "wearing it on my sleeve". I know there are many who suffer like I do. But it helps emotionally to egocentrically tell someone in the world about your suffering. Perhaps "the squeky wheel will get some grease from fellow suffers and sympathetic human beings who see this post. I want to feel well again so I can help others. And I definitely want to actively protest against the inhumane, destructive and deadly war on drugs. Decriminalization means putting the the killer gangs and the "lilly white front"drug launderers out of business. Thus the violence and corruption will be no longer, regarding "drugs")
I was rx'd hydrocodone for several years from a family doctor. He honestly told me because the war on drugs has got its tentacles in the doctor patient relationship he could no longer rx my vicodin(hydrocodone). He said he worried about getting arrested. He referred me to several pain specialists. I went through all three and they were also worried about the war on drugs tentacles into medicine. One pain doctor weaned me off of vicodin too quickly and put me on toxic levels of neurontin and old anti-depressant amitriptyline. I could not handle it. So for the past 2 years I have lost most of my 20k dollars in savings having to buy my vicodin online and elsewhere, out of pocket. It is even more depressing because when I was rx'd via medicaid for disability from a legitimate doctor, cost me next to nothing. I have been on way-below-poverty-line ssi for disability for approx 15 years. I only get $720.00 per month and about $80.00 in food stamps. Besides my arthritis I have developed serious illnesses that are urological and gastroentological. Several months ago part of my prostate was removed and my urine retention became less and I was feeling better. But the "turp" procedure has left me without being able to ejaculate. Orgasm feels like next to nothing now. I was never told before hand that this urological surgery would leave me this way. Now my urine retention has become a problem again and I have to self catheter again. My urological surgeon barely gives me the time a day, let alone give me another appointment to discuss my resurgent problems, possible second surgery or other procedures.
Colonoscopy seems to be a constant reply from doctors. I am hypoglycemic and the 24 hour preparation of medicine induced diarrhea and no protein leaves me seriously ill. I have had to cancel two Perhaps if our corrupt privitized medical system would allow you to be in hospital to be monitored during the 24 before the colonoscopy or if I had a nurse monitoring in me in my apartment, perhaps I could go through with the colonoscopy. However it was revealing when an Egyptian doctor gave me a sigmoidoscopy about ten years ago at a university medical center. He told me colonoscopy was just a money maker and that a good doctor can usually tell if anything is wrong further down the colon with the non prep(except for an enema just prior)sigmoidoscopy, bloodwork and other non evasive tests and imaging.
In addition I have a long standing iatrogenic psychological condition. Many years ago I had a non violent nervous breakdown and the psychiatrist insanely gave me the torture drugs. I had rx based side effects that give me flashbacks till this day. About 15 years ago a psychiatrist put me on benzodiazepines(e.g. xanax, klonopin,valium,atival et al). They are one of the least toxic of "feel good" anti-anxiety drugs psychoactive drugs but are the hardest and most dangerous drugs to withdraw from including harder than heroin. Luckily I currently have had "shrinks" who rx's(prescribe me) an adequate dose of benzos. But the war on drugs won't allow refills. So I have to see him once a month just to get another script. It is difficult to travel or move somewhere.
Nobody really cares or understands me. With all these and other pressures and problems I have not mentioned, and another summer wasted....I have come to the point of seriously considering suicide. And the last thing I need is psychiatric intervention
Rally in Tallahassee to Restore the Rights of Pain Patients
Please join us on Wednesday September 12th 2012 from 10:00am-noon in Tallahassee at the Capital Courtyard as we Rally in support of chronic pain patients access to opioid medications.
Patients are being denied the filling of their legal prescriptions signed by board certified pain physicians at the pharmacy level. Pharmacists are afraid of the DEA and are not carrying schedule II opioids, or refusing to fill them. Others, are charging hundreds in usary fees for the risk of filling opioid medications.
The Rally in Tallahassee brings together physicians, pharmacists, clinicians, and chronic patients alike.
This is the first time in the U.S. that patients are standing up for their rights! The rally is sponsored by the Fight for Florida Patient Care Action Network, a small group of chronic pain sufferers.
Call Donna Ratliff the Director of FFFPCAN at: 813-634-3829 or
Email Dr. Jeff Fudin http://paindr.com/prompt-info/
DEA They should be charged with assualt
As a 59 year old male I suffer from injuries suffered working for the likes of Halliburton, Exxon and few other oil field employers, and now I pay the price. When working for these type companies you did not complain you just took your the abuse to your body to get the job done in the name of America and as a REAL MAN. Well sucker now just try to get your prescription filled. "What do you mean you do not have it in stock you did last month." "The DEA will only allocate us just so much every month" "Sorry" So you go back to your medical provider and explain the problem so he writes a prescription for Subutex and you have it filled. "That will be a 100.00 dollars please" " Does not my insurance cover it" " They dont cover medications for drug addicts" So you go home like a good little boy and take it as directed, 6 hours later stomach cramps set in so sever that you are doubled over, Next a trip to the john half of dozen times then I feel like I am about to go into seizures and about to try to call an ambulance if I can manage to dial 911. You finally gather the strength to crawl out of bed about nine o clock feeling like someone beat you with a ball bat. Gee guess I WILL NOT MAKE IT TO WORK TODAY!!!
SO IN CLOSING I WANT TO THANK ALL YOU GOVERNMENT SHIT BAGS WITH THE DEA AND ANY OTHER AGENCY THAT HAS A HAND IN THIS. IT IS NOT RIGHT. IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY THAT YOU GO THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE PUTTING EVERY OTHER LAW ABIDING CITIZEN OR SUBJECT SHOULD I SAY THROUGH. MAY YOU ROT IN HELL AND MAY EVERY EVIL THAT HAS PLAGUED THIS PLANET FALL UPON YOU AND YOURS. YOU ARE SELF SERVING SELF REICHIOUS BASTARDS IN EVERY SCENE OF THE WORD. I HOPE I HAVE MADE MYSELF CLEAR AND THIS COMES FROM NOT JUST ME BUT HUNDREDS LIKE ME.
pharmacist refusing to fill meds after several years
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