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U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

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Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Some Montanans Find the “War on Drugs” is Painful

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008   

Missoula, MT – The nation's "war on drugs" is painful, especially for those with chronic pain. Montana doctors and civil liberties experts are meeting this week to talk about how the federal policy is keeping many health professionals from prescribing proven pain medications.

Tom Daubert in Helena has worked on patients' rights issues. He says most people think the Drug Enforcement Agency just goes after illegal drug dealers, but he says the D.E.A. spends a lot of resources targeting doctors who prescribe pain medicine.

"They're unilaterally deciding, without even knowing the specifics of the case, that a particular doctor is prescribing too many pain pills."

Daubert adds that the other "painful" aspect is the incredible amount of money that is spent on the "war on drugs," and the only result is that more people are in prison. He says money could be better spent in treating drug addiction as a medical issue.

"We waste, literally, billions of dollars on the drug war, and the percentage of Americans who have an actual problem with drugs hasn't changed at all."

The D.E.A. says investigating doctors is necessary because of the abuse of prescription drugs. A workshop about how the "drug war" affects doctors and patients is part of the A.C.L.U. of Montana annual meeting this weekend.


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