Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease. The Institute of Public Health estimates that between 175,000 and 350,000 people in Norway have a harmful use or addiction to alcohol. People who are addicted to alcohol live 10-15 years shorter than others. Annually, around 300 die prematurely from direct alcohol exposure, most after long-term high consumption. Alcohol is thus one of the most important risk factors for dying before the age of 70. Around 10 per cent of us account for half of our alcohol consumption, and drink so much that there is a great risk of health damage and addiction. Some have high consumption over time, but can function in a job for several years. Others stay sober for periods of time, but fall into heavy drinking for several weeks, like the person in a Facebook group: “I’ve had an alcohol problem for many years which has caused a lot of damage to myself and others. Been through various abuse groups, but fooled myself and others and thought I was done drinking, but knew deep down all the time that I was going to drink again. Started on antabuse last year to get the girl back, but stopped after two pills because I had more desire to drink. Gets into a fuck-it mode and gives a damn about myself and if I disappoint everyone else. I imagine that it can’t hurt that I drink, but it will always be a hell I regret with a prison cell, violence and piss”. This is how “Anonymous” writes on Facebook. We could have reduced this problem if medication for alcohol abuse had been on blue prescription. Blue prescription is the system that makes healthcare for chronic illness, beyond the deductible, free when a certain amount is reached. For example, you get medicine on a blue prescription for diabetes, asthma, pollen allergy, urine leakage or high blood pressure. In early stages of alcohol dependence, there are no noticeable biological findings. After a long-term illness, alcohol use affects a number of organs in the body, but also family, friends, work, finances and society. 10-year-old Arild describes this well. He tells how sad it is to acknowledge that his father, his role model, whom he is so fond of and proud of, is slowly but surely turning into someone he is ashamed of. Between 200,000 and 300,000 Norwegians are like Arild’s father. Fortunately, we now have several methods to treat alcohol addiction and to prevent the serious social and physical consequences, not least combined with medication. Yet only one in ten receives treatment. There are many reasons for this: stigma, shame, secrecy, weak motivation, knowledge and finances, as well as a lack of competence on the part of healthcare personnel. These reasons can take time to overcome. But we can take one measure immediately: Medicines against alcohol addiction on a blue prescription. Hardly any other chronic illness with the same degree of severity for the individual, relatives and society is left out of the blue prescription. And the drugs that suppress alcohol cravings cost hundreds of kroner. If you swear by the old drugs that make you sick if you touch alcohol, such as “Antabuse”, you have to shell out around NOK 420 for 100 tablets. For most people, this is no fortune. But many alcohol addicts, and especially those with the most serious and far-reaching abuse, often have poor finances due to a marginal relationship with working life, a life on social assistance, disability benefits or the minimum pension – precisely because of years of serious alcohol abuse. These groups also have other large health expenses, both due to alcohol abuse and for other reasons that often coincide with alcohol addiction (diet, physical inactivity, tobacco, obesity, risky behaviour, burdensome networks, etc.). Medicines against alcohol use on a blue prescription are a simple move that could make it easier for these groups. It will reduce the financial burden for patients who are already in a vulnerable situation. In addition, it will make the medicines more accessible. This can also encourage more people to seek help and start treatment earlier. Morally, it will mean that we stop discriminating against this group of diseases.
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Blue prescription against alcohol addiction – Speech
