Let me start this off with letting you know fentynal is the #1 reason for deaths in Arizona!!

Now that you’re aware of that let me introduce myself. 

I am an Arizona resident living with a rod in my leg and screws in my knee, the result of a horrible car accident. I struggle daily with intense pain and constantly hear other people talk about their situation, mostly elderly that get medication prescribed but are still in pain, but Arizona's maximum daily dose for medication like oxycodone is just 60mg. Here lies a problem - not only for myself and for countless others who are in similar situations. People run out of their meds due to intense pain or the legal limit and go to the streets to try and find something to help them and end up taking something deadly!

My cousin fell victim to this tragic situation. Unable to get the dosage needed within Arizona, he turned to the streets and sadly lost his life consuming a counterfeit pill. His death echoes the stories of numerous Arizonians who have met with similar fates since the reduction of the legal limit of painkillers.

The current law doesn't take into account those patients, especially the elderly, who have undergone detailed medical examinations confirming their need for higher doses of prescribed medications. Such an arbitrary limit adds unnecessary suffering and has unintentionally increased the risk of unregulated substances circulating our communities.

The situation in Arizona is dire. A study reveals that 19.5% of adults in Arizona reported experiencing chronic pain - a high figure that does not, however, include occasional pain sufferers (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2018). This regulation, thus, potentially affects thousands, and could possibly even lead to unreported deaths.

We urge the public and law makers, to reconsider the state's stance on maximum prescription dosages on prescribed oxycodone. We should work together to establish a safer, more compassionate system that not only provides relief to those in chronic pain but also protects them from the predatory practices of a dangerous underground market. This action will prevent more unnecessary suffering or untimely death from counterfeit medication. 

Enough is enough. We demand changes now. Please sign this petition today, and let our voices be heard.