Laws punishing pain patients are ALSO anti-choice

I’d like to tell you my entire story, but I don’t have time. Though I’ve been sitting here at my desk for just a few minutes, a hard knot has already formed in my upper right thigh and my lower back muscles have begun to spasm. I feel like I’ve run a half-marathon and I’ve barely gotten out of bed today.

But I’m not going to give up yet. It’s important to me to let you know what’s going on in the world of daily pain and how the rising wave of anti-opiate sentiment is affecting people like me.

Just as importantly, I’d ask you to consider whether any pro-choice legislator has the right to come between myself and my doctor on how we make medication decisions. (By the way, in case it matters, I’m a middle-aged female who has always been grateful for the reproductive choices I’ve had.)

Some facts on chronic pain in the US

Before I go any further, I’d like to share some facts on chronic pain in this country. According to recent research from the Centers for Disease Control, 19.6 million Americans experience chronic pain which limits their ability to work, socialize, have fun and take care of themselves. The researcher notes that chronic pain contributes to an estimated $560 billion each year in direct medical costs, lost productivity and disability programs.

As chronic pain goes, mine is far from exotic. My condition is very common and can often be managed with physical therapy and medication, which can include but doesn’t…