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I have mentioned this before on the boards but this is the first time in the 6+ years I've known this was a problem that I see antennas going up. Teenagers are dropping like flies on this drug. You don't hear it on the news and schools tend to keep it hush hush. Residents and parents will not admit it's a problem in their beloved towns until it's too late. It's about time we realize that our suburbs are not immune and, in fact, most of the overdoses or lethal strains are in our middle and upper middle class suburbs.
I'm glad doctors finally realized this, even though it has taken years for them to catch on. Now we just have to get our stubborn communities on board to raise awareness.
I have mentioned this before on the boards but this is the first time in the 6+ years I've known this was a problem that I see antennas going up. Teenagers are dropping like flies on this drug. You don't hear it on the news and schools tend to keep it hush hush. Residents and parents will not admit it's a problem in their beloved towns until it's too late. It's about time we realize that our suburbs are not immune and, in fact, most of the overdoses or lethal strains are in our middle and upper middle class suburbs.
I'm glad doctors finally realized this. Now we just have to get our stubborn communities on board to raise awareness.
It ebbs and flows. They've been talking about the drug epidemic and drug war for decades. Remember the crack epidemic? People will always find something to get high on. Sniffing paint for example, which is worse than heroin long term. Way worse and readily available. Huffers. It completely rots the brain.
Oh and if you found a cure for depression(ssri's don't work in many cases/no available treatment works in many cases. We have limited understanding the human brain), you'd see a significant decrease in self medicating addicts. Obviously not all drug addicts are depressed before drug use. Some are just morons who want to "party". But a small percentage are mentally ill/depressed before ever starting drugs and turn to drugs for coping.
It ebbs and flows. They've been talking about the drug epidemic and drug war for decades. Remember the crack epidemic?
Oh and if you found a cure for depression(ssri's don't work in many cases/no available treatment works in many cases. We have limited understanding the human brain), you'd see a significant decrease in self medicating addicts. Obviously not all drug addicts are depressed before drug use. Some are just morons who want to "party". But a small percentage are mentally ill/depressed before ever starting drugs and turn to drugs for coping.
Crack addictions did not branch from prescription pills (heroin usually begins as an ocycodone or oxycontin addiction), there was no lethal strain that made deadly overdoses multiply, and the suburbs were largely immune from it. It's completely different and equating the two is irresponsible.
This is very much a health emergency, and being fairly knowledgeable of the drug, it's strains and it's addiction tendencies, I can say that it's been a health emergency for years. Only recently have we seen a multitude of deaths from this. This is not only in CT - Massachusetts saw something like 150 deaths in the past two months, prompting their DPH to get involved. Doctors are calling this unprecedented, and I could not agree more.
I do agree that many addicts suffer from underlying health issues - depression, perhaps bipolar - things that are also largely ignored and considered taboo in society. It's sad.
Crack addictions did not branch from prescription pills (heroin usually begins as an ocycodone or oxycontin addiction), there was no lethal strain that made deadly overdoses multiply, and the suburbs were largely immune from it. It's completely different and equating the two is irresponsible.
This is very much a health emergency, and being fairly knowledgeable of the drug, it's strains and it's addiction tendencies, I can say that it's been a health emergency for years. Only recently have we seen a multitude of deaths from this. This is not only in CT - Massachusetts saw something like 150 deaths in the past two months, prompting their DPH to get involved. Doctors are calling this unprecedented, and I could not agree more.
Ok
IV morphine = Heroin
If you do some research you'd understand it's the SAME drug. An atom difference in it's chemical structure. Same side effect profile. Opiate derivative narcotic analgesic. It's more than the just the same class. Their almost identical. I don't agree it's a "health emergency" anymore than any other type of drug addiction. Alcohol is still responsible for WAY more deaths than heroin and every other drug combined due to car accidents, which also effect people who don't use the drug. Innocents.
Honestly, who cares if it "branches" from prescription pills. That should not affect people who have genuine pain from getting drugs just because some pill heads are going to abuse them. That responsibility is solely on the addict themselves. Not the doctor their lying to, not pharm companies, not society. Are there a very small percentage of people that get addicted because of a long term chronic pain? Yes. That's a small percentage and a risk of the drug when someone has a condition that causes severe pain. I can assure you, contrary to media reports, that the majority of these addicts are simply looking to party. Most of these hs and college "kids/young adults" don't have chronic pain. And you don't get addicted from shooting up once. If that were the case anyone who recieved morphine in the hospital would be an instant addict. It takes a LOT of abuse to become addicted. Oh and if you've had morphine, you'd tried heroin. No difference. Shocker, eh?
Addicts just realized that they can NOT get 100% pure grade black tar heroin. It gets stepped on repeatedly. Pain meds from the doctor were 100% pure and therefore more powerful and give the exact same high. Of course, heroin is cheaper. So once the pill head's addiction gets very severe they turn to cheaper heroin.
There's a lot of ignorance out there about medicine. Medical marijuana doesn't exist(until now) because it has no legitimate proven medical use, unlike morphine(heroin), which is proven to kill pain.
If IV morphine = heroin, I just don't understand why anyone would do it! I have had IV morphine postop for pain (never by request) and I absolutely HATE it! It makes my entire body feel horribly heavy, as if I'm sinking into the bed. I cannot stand that feeling, would rather have the pain. On the other hand, IV demerol was great - pain relief, drift off to sleep. And the tiny bit of fentanyl that escapes the epidural space when given with the initial dose of the epidural is wonderful - pain gone, anesthesiologist is my best friend for life!
My point is, it's a different molecule, so morphine is not identical to heroin, has slightly different properties.
If you do some research you'd understand it's the SAME drug. An atom difference in it's chemical structure. Same side effect profile. Opiate derivative narcotic analgesic. It's more than the just the same class. Their almost identical. I don't agree it's a "health emergency" anymore than any other type of drug addiction. Alcohol is still responsible for WAY more deaths than heroin and every other drug combined due to car accidents, which also effect people who don't use the drug. Innocents.
Honestly, who cares if it "branches" from prescription pills. That should not affect people who have genuine pain from getting drugs just because some pill heads are going to abuse them. That responsibility is solely on the addict themselves. Not the doctor their lying to, not pharm companies, not society. Are there a very small percentage of people that get addicted because of a long term chronic pain? Yes. That's a small percentage and a risk of the drug when someone has a condition that causes severe pain. I can assure you, contrary to media reports, that the majority of these addicts are simply looking to party. Most of these hs and college "kids/young adults" don't have chronic pain. And you don't get addicted from shooting up once. If that were the case anyone who recieved morphine in the hospital would be an instant addict. It takes a LOT of abuse to become addicted. Oh and if you've had morphine, you'd tried heroin. No difference. Shocker, eh?
Addicts just realized that they can NOT get 100% pure grade black tar heroin. It gets stepped on repeatedly. Pain meds from the doctor were 100% pure and therefore more powerful and give the exact same high. Of course, heroin is cheaper. So once the pill head's addiction gets very severe they turn to cheaper heroin.
There's a lot of ignorance out there about medicine. Medical marijuana doesn't exist(until now) because it has no legitimate proven medical use, unlike morphine(heroin), which is proven to kill pain.
You're speaking a lot of gibberish, and throwing things into the mix that aren't even part of this equation.
Actually IV Dilaudid is closer to heroin than morphine is in terms of the rush, but yes, both H and M are derived from poppy, but still very different. That said, I'm not sure why you're bringing up IV drugs because patients cannot get IV prescriptions for them - they are given in small doses in a controlled environment to control pain. OxyContin and OxyCodone are prescribed. As you said, once the "pill head" cannot afford these scripts, they try H.
I also never said anything about blaming doctors or removing prescription pain pills from the hands of those who need them.
One thing you said that irked me was that you cannot become physically addicted by shooting up once. You are so wrong. Is it possible to try it once and not become addicted? Yes. Is it probable? Absolutely not. It depends on the person - the individual who is going to shoot up once already likely has addictive tendencies, so chances are that yes, they will become addicted after their first time. It does NOT (I will repeat, NOT) take "a lot of abuse to become addicted". That is total and utter BS and you should not be making these claims as someone who clearly knows little about this addiction.
Also, you brought up alcohol. Yes, alcoholism is a disease, but chances are you're not going to become an alcoholic after you become legally intoxicated (.08). Additionally, chances are you're not going to die from alcohol poisoning when you drink too much - there are NO lethal strains of drinking alcohol out there. To the contrary, a kids first or second time shooting up can be their last, and not because they escaped addiction.
My sole reason for creating this thread is to raise awareness so people know it's a problem - not to place blame.
If IV morphine = heroin, I just don't understand why anyone would do it! I have had IV morphine postop for pain (never by request) and I absolutely HATE it! It makes my entire body feel horribly heavy, as if I'm sinking into the bed. I cannot stand that feeling, would rather have the pain. On the other hand, IV demerol was great - pain relief, drift off to sleep. And the tiny bit of fentanyl that escapes the epidural space when given with the initial dose of the epidural is wonderful - pain gone, anesthesiologist is my best friend for life!
My point is, it's a different molecule, so morphine is not identical to heroin, has slightly different properties.
Exactly, IV morphine does not = heroin...especially the strains of heroin that are being found in our suburbs currently. That's like comparing tobacco to laced marijuana.
If IV morphine = heroin, I just don't understand why anyone would do it! I have had IV morphine postop for pain (never by request) and I absolutely HATE it! It makes my entire body feel horribly heavy, as if I'm sinking into the bed. I cannot stand that feeling, would rather have the pain. On the other hand, IV demerol was great - pain relief, drift off to sleep. And the tiny bit of fentanyl that escapes the epidural space when given with the initial dose of the epidural is wonderful - pain gone, anesthesiologist is my best friend for life!
My point is, it's a different molecule, so morphine is not identical to heroin, has slightly different properties.
How did you like the taste of alcohol first time you had it? Yet people love getting "wasted". Having slurred speech/gait is enjoyable? Vomiting is fun? Then a pounding headache the next day due to dehydration. Stuff is poison. I don't understand why anyone would drink that crap. Some people love it.
I don't understand people.
Get my point?
Diamorphine IS heroin. It's used for severe pain in medicine. Chemically identical.
We are talking one atom difference between regular morhpine and diamorphine(heroin). Both make you high as a kite and have same side effects. Oxyoncontin/hydrocodone are all basically similiar stuff.(Vicodin is packed with acetimpohen to retain hepatoxicity to prevent overuse). But the active ingredient is similar. All opiate narcotics. Difference mainly is how drug is used. IV administration will be an instant more powerful high than the stomach where it has to pass through the liver. Way stronger potential high/side effets when shooting up.
Exactly, IV morphine does not = heroin...especially the strains of heroin that are being found in our suburbs currently. That's like comparing tobacco to laced marijuana.
That's factually wrong and irresponsible. Diamorphine used in medicine is IDENTICAL to heroin. There's drug used in clinical medicine that make street drugs look tame. Just take a look at some of the drugs used in putting people to sleep. Please learn a little about medicine. Also, side effects of any opioid derivative narcotic are directionally proportional to dosage administered. So if you take a little more of one than the other more powerful drug, the high/side effects can be the same or more from the less powerful one.
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Whats next...people make cyanide gas and let it loose in Connecticut 
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