02/10/2020

MAC PR Team Educates MDHHS Town Hall Audience on Chiropractic as an Alternative to Opioids

Dr. Chris Dolecki: “Too Many Opioid Users Get on the Path to Addiction After Being Prescribed a Painkiller By Their Doctor, Often for a Condition That Does Not Warrant It…”

On January 17, 2020, MAC Chairman of the Board Dr. Christopher Dolecki of Lake Orion (pictured, with microphone) addressed the first of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s planned town hall meetings about the opioid epidemic and its effects on communities across the state of Michigan. Held at Wayne County Community College in Detroit, more than 400 residents, health care professionals, and addicts heard Dr. Dolecki talk about chiropractic as a major component of a drug-free pain-relief strategy to reduce opioid addiction and dependence.

At the end of his remarks, Dr. Dolecki received enthusiastic applause from those in attendance.

“[Chiropractic is] one of the answers to the opioid epidemic,” Dr. Dolecki told CR News after the town hall meeting. “We know that conservative, non-drug pain intervention has been shown in studies to cut opioid prescriptions by up to 50 percent.”

Regarding Governor Whitmer’s goals in curbing the epidemic, Dr. Dolecki told CR News: “I think what the Governor is doing is great. This needs to be addressed, it’s an aggressive goal, and I hope that as chiropractors we can be part of the solution.”

In 2018, Michigan recorded more than 2,000 opioid-related overdose deaths, and more than 8,000 Michiganders have lost their lives to this epidemic in the last five years. In November of last year, Governor Whitmer announced the launch of a multi-year campaign to cut opioid-related overdose deaths by half in five years. The state’s strategy addresses three key areas: preventing opioid misuse, ensuring individuals using opioids can access high-quality recovery treatment, and reducing the harm caused by opioids to individuals and their communities.

At the press conference announcing the plan, CR News asked if non-drug pain management options such as chiropractic need to be part of efforts to curb the opioid epidemic. Joneigh Khaldun, MD, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health for MDHHS, said: “Absolutely. It’s important when we talk about the opioid epidemic, we talk about the broad spectrum of pain management… it’s not just about medication or prescribing a pill…”

The series of town halls continues throughout 2020, with upcoming events scheduled in Sterling Heights, Gaylord, Escanaba, Flint, and Grand Rapids. The MAC hopes to have representatives at all of these important events, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.