AMA is Looking for Input

Pain Patient advocate Amy Partridge reminded us all this week that the American Medical Association is looking for patient stories, particularly from those who have access to pain care or had their pain treatment reduced.

Amy reminded us on Twitter that you need to include:

Your Name Your Diagnosis Medications Insurer City and State where you live

You can email your comments to opioidtaskforce@ama-assn.org

The AMA Opioid Task Force also has called on policymakers to take specific steps to remove barriers to evidence-based care for patients with pain and those with a substance use disorder.

By the way if you are Twitter, you should follow Amy @Amy_L_Partridge

Cannabis Support Continues to Grow

Since many chronic pain patients have turned to cannabis for relief, it’s interesting to note that the support for legalizing marijuana continues to grow.

A Pew poll found that 67% of Americans now support legalizing marijuana, including 55% of Republicans and 78% of Democrats. Among Millennials, 71% of Republicans and 78% of Democrats are on board.

33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis in some form—11 have it available for recreational use.

Here is a rundown from Governing Magazine.

CRPS Awareness Month Continues

November is CRPS Awareness Month and every year we try to pay special attention to promoting and educating our readers about this malady.

Our friends at Burning Nights are one of the organizations that does a great job educating people about this poorly understood condition.

There’s a great read by a young woman who recently was diagnosed that we recommend you read.

Here it is.

Young People Suffer Too

I spoke recently at a US Pain Advocacy Summit in Dallas and met a woman—a mother of two children who have EDS. She is writing a blog (or three) on her experience as a mom, a caregiver, a partner that we hope to publish later this month. Her story is very powerful.

That reminds me that children with pain is a topic that is under reported. Consider this an open invitation to submit ideas about how we can best tell the story of children in pain. Contact me via email edcoghlan@gmail.com.

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