More on the opioid epidemic in the USA

More on the opioid epidemic in the USA

What can be done to lessen this social scourge?

Marcus Roberts | Jan 28 2018 |  2 

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Last year we wrote a number of blogposts on the social and economic crises hitting the American working class. See here, here, here and here.

A large part of these crises (cause or symptom?) is the opioid epidemic. It is increasing mortality rates and has even decreased the overall American life expectancy in the last couple of years. To help us understand the crisis better, here is an interesting and harrowing documentary about the opioid epidemic. It includes interviews with health professionals and addicts. Let us hope that the lure of opioids can be broken in the years ahead.

https://youtu.be/rIZg0MHs0Sw

January 29, 2018

Tomorrow is the 70th anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. He was shot dead by a Hindu nationalist who believed that he was being too accommodating with the Muslim minority in India. It was one of the great tragedies of contemporary Indian history.

However, the occasion has been marred by riots over a film which depicts a love affair between a legendary Rajput queen and a Muslim king. Since the film opened last Thursday, cinemas in Uttar Pradesh and other states have been vandalised, highways blocked, shopping malls set ablaze and several buses burned. A bus carrying school children was pelted with stones. Gandhi gave his life to prevent such hatred.

Deputy Editor Carolyn Moynihan reflects upon the virtues of "the father of India" in our lead article: "He recognised that the truth about human dignity and human rights transcended mere political programmes, and that the latter must be based on the former." At a time when tolerance is a scarce commodity, Gandhi is a an inspiring example. 

Michael Cook
Editor
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More on the opioid epidemic in the USA

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What can be done to lessen this social scourge?
Read the full article

 

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