Generic OxyCotin...Approval

    I am a firm believer that Addiction is a human problem NOT a race problem. I have witnessed first hand how addictions can destroy lives, and families.  Stigma forces those with addictions and their families to hide their struggles. It seems that no one wants to give voice to this subject. Many family members, friends, and loved ones refuse to acknowledge the problem, or banish the person struggling with addiction from the family. Those who face addictions do not choose to do so, but have an illness.  Families, friends, and addicts themselves do not know how to cope with their addictions. Many try 12 step programs, turn to police, or a family doctor, for strategies on coping. The truth is that it is up to the individual facing the addiction to seek help and the family cannot do it for them.
 Where is the government in all of this? They are the people who have the power to bring about change.   Do the politicians even have any power?  Who really makes the laws?  Or do the pharmaceutical companies have all the power?  Does Pardue Pharma, a company that has already been brought up on criminal charges in the United States have power over our politicians? This is the company that created the original Oxycontin and now a generic, tamper proof brand.
According to Mullaly (2007), the Social Democracy economic beliefs are "government intervention of public ownership of economy. Public control of economy, and equitable distribution of income and opportunities, (p. 208)."  Mullaly believes that it is the responsibility of the government to intervene in order to protect public interest, but they seem to be failing this responsibility.
The drug Oxycontin has been a huge concern for millions of people throughout Canada. Once prescribed this pill, causes physical and mental addiction.  Many people who have been prescribed Oxycontin for medical needs become addicted to the medication and resort to illegal means to purchase the drug, once their doctors no longer write prescriptions.  Similar stories are coming forward by the thousands.
What does this have to do with racialized people?  The province of Nunuvit is represented by Federal Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq.  In discussions about bringing the new generic, tamper proof product to the market the Ontario Health Minister, Deb Matthews, brought forward grave concerns against allowing this product back into the Canadian drug market. A new study in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry is being release in December addressing the issue of Oxycontin and adolescents. This study shows that the Inuit youth are at higher risk than any other youth in Canada. Double that of the First Nations peoples. These findings were leaked in August to the Nunavat newspapers.
Leona Aglukkaq states that “this is not a political issue, it is a scientific issue.  That if there are concerns about this, the individuals who work with medicine should make this final decision.  Politicians are not the ones to make this decision”(Van Dusen,  Nov. 12, 2012). Here is a woman who has the authority to aid the citizens she represents, and chooses not to!
Nishnawebe Aski Police Services (NAPS) has seized millions of dollars worth of prescription drugs off of the streets within the past year.  NAPS  serves 35 First Nation Communities in Northern Ontario. This police service has been notified that as of March  2013, that they will no longer receive any funding from the Police Officer Recruitment Fund in order to train new police officers. This means with an increase in drug related crime there will be no funding to train police officers to meet the needs of reducing crime.
In 2004 there was 27.2 million deaths related to Oxycotin in Ontario. In 2007, Pardue Pharma paid out a 634 million dollar settlement to the state of Virginia, pleading guilty to misbranding with the intent to defraud.  Who will ultimately protect the citizens of Canada?

Heather

Reference List:

Bell, S. (November 29th 2012). Generic Oxy Descision Wrong on all Accounts. Wawata News Online. Retrieved from: http://wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2012/11/29/generic-oxy-decision-wrong-all-counts_23784

Carpenter, L. (November 22nd 2012), Naps questions approval of Generic Oxy. Wawata News Online. Retrieved from: http://dev.wawataynews.ca/archive/all/2012/11/22/naps-questions-approval-generic-oxy_23770
Mullay, B. (2007). The New Structural Social Work. Canada. Oxford University Press

The Fifth Estate. Infographic Oxycotin Facts and Stats. CBC News . Retrieved from:http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/2011-2012/timebomb/infographic.html

Van Dusen, J. ( November 19th 2012). Minister Won't Interfere with Generic Oxycontin Approval. CBC News. Retrieved from:http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/11/19/pol-Oxycontin-patent-expiry.html