How can doctors stop the “pain medication addiction”?

Question by DesiDani: How can doctors stop the “pain medication addiction”?
At work lots of people going through detox are for pain meds such as oxycontin and lortab etc. Most times, if you look at their charts there was a previous injury such as a back or whatever. A nurse told me that pts will get pain meds to stop the pain, and when they get home they cannot get that some dosage outside. So you will have the “frequent flyers” to the hospital.

So how can doctors lessen someones pain, without them becoming dependent?

What can doctors and nurses do about “clock watchers”?
Edit:
Detox centers would be great, but isn’t that after the problem has arised?

How about placing a regulated limit on the dosage amt a dr. can order for a pt.

Best answer:

Answer by keltillos
The best thing would be State-mandated detox procedures, including mandatory weaning from addictive drugs (with exceptions based on certain DRGs or with the concurrence of two physicians) with penalties imposed by the State on nurses, doctors, and patients who fail to comply.
Use of non addicting medications for pain, such as Ultracet, would also help. A new class of pain drugs called coniotoxins shows great promise.
But in the end, early, frank, and explicit drug education in our schools, and developing a culture of personal responsibility and accountability, are the only ways that we will make a dent in drug addictions.

Answer by Special K
There are other pain drugs that are not so addictive. Oxycontin was not known to be as addictive as it was thought, the drug manufactors did not disclose this when they went around selling it to doctors. Also as an alcoholic/addict, I know better than to let a doctor perscribe this to me. The only defense I have is to stay mentally healthy so that I can say no to it. Easier said than done, I realize, because I dont have cronic backpain, but I feel I do harbor some of the responsibility to stay clean.

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