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My 28 yo son is in the hospital dying from a heart condition brought about by years of IV drug use. We've spent over 200k on treatment over the years. Despite the best care money can buy, he cannot stay sober.
For 30 years I lived next door to NIH (National Institutes of Health). Many of my neighbors were amongst the world's top scientists and doctors. From talking with them and other leaders in the addictions field, there is a lot science doesn't know yet about addiction...to put it simply. Why can some people stay sober and others, like my son, can't? Why?
Is it because my son is devoid of moral fiber? A worthless throw away person? Will the world be better off without my son? I'm grieving. Relief is the last thing I'm feeling.
Not for a minute do I believe you had a husband and two stepsons die. No one talks so dispassionately about the loved one they've lost.
And the whining about "transgender training?" What's wrong with you? Why is it an either or choice....what, there can't be drug education because of what you call "transgender training?" What is wrong with you?
I'm very sorry you're going through this horrific experience. Addiction has nothing to do with moral fiber, as you know. Some people just cannot get that monkey off their back, and if the experts don't understand, the dopes posting on c-d understand even less.
Hell, we had 130 overdoses last month in our town of 60,000. My hospital's ED ran out of Narcan at one point. I hate to say it, but when we have people getting Narcaned out of an OD, only to OD again a few hours later, I sometimes wonder if that's a bad thing.
I am not callous (I lost two stepsons to drugs and alcohol and a husband to alcohol - and all were from TX, your area as a matter of fact) but this whole mess of ODs IS getting out of hand in some areas in particular.
Before the final OD where nothing can save these people is often a long series of close calls and a life lost to the vagaries of drug use etc. Is it really worth rescuing all of these people who are hell bent on killing themselves it seems, over and over, at great expense - especially when others with legitimate health crises may be waiting or not getting good care while someone is saved from an OD death?
Pertaining to your last sentence, who are you talking about, the US military veterans I lived temporarily on VA grounds with that had self caused, self inflicted Type 2 diabetes that routinely had to be taken to the VA hospital or have paramedics respond to revive them after they collapsed from once again not taking care of their diabetic disease properly?
Diabetics are like heroin addicts in their frequent OD's. It doesn't make news reports because it's not as sexy a story as as drug addiction, and self caused diabetes does not come with the same moral judgement. Plus, most Americans are frankly too stupid to know that behavior can contribute to acquiring a disease (HIV) or that behaviors and what you consume into your body can cause you to develop a disease (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, lung or throat cancer).
One person eats lots of breads and sweets and does not develop diabetes. Another person does. One person drinks alcohol occasionally and does not develop alcoholism. Another does. One person uses heroin occasionally and never becomes addicted and never overdoses. But another person does.
The other issue are obligations, supposedly sworn to be carried out without prejudice, that police officers, paramedics, nurses, and doctors take. They are sworn to save lives in jeapordy even if the person is a gay porn star, IV heroin addict, morbidly obese woman weighting 400 lbs that hasn't left her bed in over 2 years, or even if they arrest a person through DNA evidence for the rape and murder of a beautiful white female jogger in New York city. That's why when escorting such jail inmates in public for trial cops put protected vests on the murdering rapists.
I was recently speaking with a young man that developed alcoholism in Mexico while going to medical school. I was blown away by what he said (he's a medical doctor now by the way). By law in Mexico if you are ordered into rehab for alcohol or drugs the inpatient stay is by law 3 months. That's more poor Mexico, developin country Mexico. Compare that to rich USA which has had returning war vets from it recent wars in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, develop drug addictions. The VA in Milwaukee, funded by rich Uncle Sam, has reduced inpatient rehab (substance abuse) from 4 weeks to what... 3 weeks I think.
But let me hear you and others recite the lie and delusion that America is soooooo remarkably nice compared to every other nation on earth. College education is free in Mexico at public universities as well.
As for post #1 those number of OD's in such a small space of time, space of hours, is remarkable and jaw dropping. Sounds like a bad batch in illegally sold heroin is going around in that city.
Heroin currently is mostly a white people drug. Lots of young whites too. It's eye opening seeing a large gathering of recovering heroin addicts. They are largely white, young, many are good looking, lots are talented and "cool." And a few are even intellectually robust. I met one who is a power lifter and built like a tank. Listening to him talk articulately with an above average vocabulary be and a deep appreciation for the sciences I knew I was in the presence of someone who defies the stereotype of a meathead with big muscles.
But heroin and opiate pills are gaining popularity among young inner-city blacks too. Crack cocaine is an "old person" drug now. It's addicts are in their 40's and older, few to none are in their 20's because crack has not gained new recruits.
We could eliminate the State, allow people do as they wish as long as they uphold the non-aggression principle, and then use non-violent means to try to persuade folks into making choices that are better for all of us.
But we've been down this road before and you folks just aren't ready for freedom.
I had to rep this.
By the way, I was either reading something or watching some documentary on forensic science, many months ago. And something surprised me.
Forensic science, in forensic pathology apparently was born mostly out of New York City, and Prohibition Era had some indirect play in the fields development. I can't remember how exactly. Anyways, the US Government tried to get people to stop drinking alcohol by intentionally poisoning batches of alcohol if I remember correctly. But what really surprised me was that massive number of alcohol poisoning deaths in a single year in NYC due in large part unregulated, home made, illegal alcohol that was being sold. No joke, the number of deaths in NYC were so staggering it reminded me of modern day heroin overdoses and resulting deaths.
I more mad because of these losers are the main cause to get our cough meds to be behind the counter, even getting gas treatment for our cars requires a ID now. I mean seriously between Meth heads and crackheads, they put a damper on the OTC drugs that we normal people would buy. Sorry, play with fire your going to get burn. You know once you start shooting up or snorting the crack your going to get additive. Its what we normal people call common educated sense. If they want help, they need to step up and ask for it, than it becomes our problem. But if they dont choose to be helped, than its GODs (karma) problem. We got enough issues to deal with.. as these keep happing in small towns, it ties up resources. There was a case were all the EMTs were out dealing with a OD mob, while a mother lost her child because of no help could come. So again.. if you had one medic in your town. and u get 2 calls one is OD and other evolves a child what would you choose?
You don't snort crack cocaine. And crack cocaine is not why cough meds are are behind the counter at pharmacies. Your ignorance about crack and crack addicts in the black inner-cities I think is why the person that made post #1 made the statements he or she did in post #1.
I just saw on Milwaukee local TV news a night or two ago, about not only the rising number of OD's from heroin in the city, but the rise in pharmacies being robbed, sometimes at gun point, by drug dealers getting prescription opiate pills to sell on the streets. No, crackheads are not behind that.
Also, the vast majority of people never thought they would get addicted. Which explains why so many Americans drink alcohol. If all Americans were convinced, before the first time in their life they ever even sipped alcohol that they would become alcoholics, addicted, if they drank alcohol, then they would never drink alcohol. But most Americans think they won't be one of the statistics to become alcoholic. So, they not only have the first drink in their life they have a second.
Most Americans are convinced if they use heroin or crack they will become addicted. Most. So, most never use it or stop using it before they do end up addicted.
But those that use it and continue to do so before they get disfunctionally addicted believe they can't or won't get addicted. Or they reason if they do develop a problem they will just stop.
Because substance addiction is framed as merely a choice.
I don't think the biology of addiction in itself is immoral. Self causing it is. Once it has set in I think it's biological dimension is amoral. However, substance addiction by its nature results in increasing immorality in the person. They sink lower and lower morally.
Crack cocaine was so demonized, crack addicts portrayed as unique among all addicts in moral depravity and overdoses and organ failures, that heroin would eventually make a rise again to look like a wiser choice. In a sense the media helped create the heroin problem. Especially with its stupid depictions of all crack addicts getting addicted after their first time using it.
Now, if the media depiction is true and you have been doing crack or heroin for 2 months and are not addicted, you might be think to yourself that you won't get addicted based upon your experience of control this far. Just like the American that for the 20th time in his life drinks another beer because the last 19 times worked out fine, and therefore he reasons he won't be an alcoholic statistic based on his experience as a controlled drinker.
Hell, we had 130 overdoses last month in our town of 60,000. My hospital's ED ran out of Narcan at one point. I hate to say it, but when we have people getting Narcaned out of an OD, only to OD again a few hours later, I sometimes wonder if that's a bad thing.
Doesn't it have to do with the prescription drug epidemic? And vice versa?
The irony
It has to do with states like KY not creating a civil society and commonwealth which supports human beings. This being the case, escapism is often the best solution.
Maybe those fine human beings like Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell can create a decent soceity using their republican and/or libertarians principles. After all, as above so below. KY should be paradise on earth based on their governance.
It has to do with states like KY not creating a civil society and commonwealth which supports human beings. This being the case, escapism is often the best solution.
Maybe those fine human beings like Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell can create a decent soceity using their republican and/or libertarians principles. After all, as above so below. KY should be paradise on earth based on their governance.
Then you'd explain the Liberal/Progressive paradise of Maryland, which is having the same problem, how exactly?
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