Thread by @HappyWarriorP

Very Cool😎
Presenting my 1rst article w/ @reason

Most Opioid Settlement Funds Aren't Going to Addiction Services

It doesn't work that way
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… #opioids #health #healthcare #drugs #addiction #medicine #disability #opioidcrisis #chronicpain #MedTwitter #news

Americans take at face value the claim opioid settlements will provide justice for victims & necessary funding for addiction treatment

Despite what media & politicians may say,
that isnt how this works
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… #HarmReduction @maiasz @filth_filler @ZachWritesStuff

A repeat of the largest settlement in US history,

the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement in which 98% of the funds ended up in states general budgets

reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… @CathyYoung63 @GhanaboyPharmd @national_pain @bernybelvedere @brad_polumbo @conor64 @wil_da_beast630

Due to the Constitutions separation of powers,
judges do not have much they can do to dictate where settlement funds will go,

Unless legislated,
AGs have to send those funds to the general budget
@headdock @DanLairdMD @DavidAFrench @process_x @mattbc @EsotericCD @fightpaindaily

Even in the case of the 19 states w/ special funds,
controls aren't great

Look at Colorado where only 10% of funds will for sure go towards "opioid abatement policy"
#Colorado #opioids #purdue #crimeofthecentury @PolitiBunny @JonahDispatch @ggreenwald @tal7291 @nickgillespie

Even if opioid settlement money is spent on addiction policy

what addiction policy looks like is extremely subjective

In West Virginia, addiction services mean more in education spending; in Oklahoma, it means more money for corrections.
@jimgeraghty @HannahDCox @davidharsanyi

While addiction experts support Harm Reduction policies,

Most politicians look at addiction policy as a corrective, w/ mandatory drug courts & Orwellian surveillance of patients & physicians

filtermag.org/coerced-drug-t… @ShellenbergerMD @isaac_schorr @IMAO_ @ibdgirl76 @jacobsullum

Intensive surveillance on physicians & patients is a top factor for mass abandonment of pain patients

focus on addiction above all else has lead to many policies that have hurt millions of law-abiding Americans
wired.com/story/opioid-d… @jessesingal @theWesleyJSmith #chronicpain

Even w/ Special Fund laws in some states,

theres little stopping leaders from using settlement funds as an excuse to move the regular budgeted addiction moneyz away to something else
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… @rkylesmith @speakingabtpain @StefanKertesz @Stephen_Kent89 @ChadDKollas

After the McKinsey settlement, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo notified Office of Addiction Services & Supports that of the state's $32 million share, $21 million will be going to the state's general fund

nysenate.gov/newsroom/press… @rkylesmith @Tinu @LelenaPeacock @redsteeze @RyanMarino

Whats stopping outright theft & use of funds on personal interests?

2007, then–West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin tried to use settlement funds from Purdue Pharma to purchase a gubernatorial helicopter
freebeacon.com/politics/manch… @JVLast @VictorinoMatus @NoahCRothman @OldHeadFighta @o

Cuz "addiction policy" is such a nebulous term opioid settlement money could end up being spent on all kinds of unrelated projects

A Smorgasbord for lawyers & politicians
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… @Timcast @JackPosobiec @robbysoave @realchrisrufo @thomaschattwill @bungarsargon

May be a hard blast of cold water,
it shouldnt be

Our leaders & many in media knew the promise of settlement funds to fight addiction would never work

& Still pushed cuz they think U guys are rubes
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… @Zigmanfreud @MattZeitlin @xan_desanctis @VanilaSingh

But dont worry guys, at least the lawyers get paid
Of the 26 billion mega distributors settlement,

Whopping $2.3 billion is allocated for lawyer fees & expenses
reason.com/2021/09/21/mos… @VivekGRamaswamy @YoungVoicesOrg @SpencerKlavan @PainNewsNetwork @painmednews @charlescwcooke

Pls read the piece guys,
Thank U🙏

@drcarlhart @DrugPolicyOrg @DrKimSue @BethDarnall @lawhern1 @PainPtFightBack @praddenkeefe @alexgibneyfilm @intractablepain @IntractableAnd @OpioidHysteria @HiJAction @StuDoesAmerica @glennbeck @DanielGarrettHR reason.com/2021/09/21/mos…

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