Killer batch of white heroin responsible for at least 100 deaths across the country... and rising

[truth_seeker]

There seem to be two opposing opinions about addictions in general.

1. The disease or illness theory. AA described alcoholism as an "illness" in 1939, with support fro leading physicians and religious figures of the day (including Carl Yung, the psychiatrist). In 1956 the AMA classified alcoholism as a disease.

2. Alcoholism is due to character deficiencies, lack of willpower, sin, etc.

My own experience and opinion is it doesn't accomplish much to argue the proof or to disprove these theories. What matters is that the individual with the problem get help.

AA describes the condition as a physical, mental and spiritual malady. It the sets down a 12 step program for recovery. This program draws from medicine and ancient religious precepts.

One thing I know for certain is that AA saves lives, marriages, families, careers, and restores the sanity of problem drinkers. For drinking one's self to death is a form of insanity.

[Oceander]

My brother in law (husband's brother) was addicted to Vicodin. According to his doctor when my husband spoke to him his brother was taking 500 Vicodin a month.  We got him into rehab in Orange County (for the umpteenth time) and he called after two days and said he couldn't do it and was leaving  - and oh, by the way would we give him some money....  he needed surgery on his hips and the doctors would not operate because of his addiction.    So, yes I know a bit about this. I have a nephew who was in rehab multiple times and had a trip on LSD so bad it scared my sister out of her wits.  He "claims" he is off drugs - but then called pot his "medicine" and he drinks and he is his fathers son when he drinks - as in nasty!  And my grandfather was an alcoholic... he was selling off property like it was water for money for alcohol and my grandmother had to divorce him to preserve most of their ranch... so frankly I am 1000% anti drinking, anti pain pills and hard core drugs. 

Frankly I think we all make a decision to drink or do drugs or pretty much everything we do in our lives and I do not understand why people choose to escape from life - our lives are way too short to go through them stoned or drunk or both.

It's not exactly the same sort of thing as choosing between Charmin or Scotts in the paper goods aisle at the grocery story.  And it's not always like the hipsters in the '80s who did coke simply because it was the hip, cool thing to do and everyone was doing it.  If you don't understand why some are driven to self-medicate, then consider yourself very lucky, but walk a few miles in someone else's shoes before you start condemning them for having chosen the Charmin instead of the Scotts.

[aligncare]

Maybe not the appropriate place. But, it occurred to me one never sees headstones that indict Mary Jane. As drugs go, marijuana is comparatively safe.

Humans have always had a natural predilection for intoxicants. The problem is we become vulnerable to addiction. This compulsion to self medicate is not unique to humans. It's a drive found even in the animal kingdom. Koalas and their eucalyptus, cattle and some seriously toxic plants, and one particular species of ant that lick the secretions from the Lomechusa beetle are just a few examples.

So if we accept that humans (and some animals) always will seek altered states of consciousness, one might argue it would be smart to rethink the case against marijuana; an intoxicant not associated with mortality or physical addiction.

One could do worse, much, much worse then pot. Such as the dangerous drugs that kill and physically addict, like alcohol – or fentanyl laced heroin.

[olde north church]

Maybe not the appropriate place. But, it occurred to me one never sees headstones that indict Mary Jane. As drugs go, marijuana is comparatively safe.

Humans have always had a natural predilection for intoxicants. The problem is we become vulnerable to addiction. This compulsion to self medicate is not unique to humans. It's a drive found even in the animal kingdom. Koalas and their eucalyptus, cattle and some seriously toxic plants, and one particular species of ant that lick the secretions from the Lomechusa beetle are just a few examples.

So if we accept that humans (and some animals) always will seek altered states of consciousness, one might argue it would be smart to rethink the case against marijuana; an intoxicant not associated with mortality or physical addiction.

One could do worse, much, much worse then pot. Such as the dangerous drugs that kill and physically addict, like alcohol – or fentanyl laced heroin.

Did you read that book entitled "Intoxicants" by any chance?

[rangerrebew]

"Crackers" are even taking credit for this heroin, calling it white.  How racist!

[aligncare]

Did you read that book entitled "Intoxicants" by any chance?

No. Mostly journals. The subject fascinates me as it touches on science and health, morality, religion, pop culture, politics, history.

Light reading includes, Tastes of Paradise: A Social History of Spices, Stimulants, and Intoxicants

If you have time for scholarly there's Addiction Trajectories or Essential Substances: A Cultural History of Intoxicants in Society

[olde north church]

No. Mostly journals. The subject fascinates me as it touches on science and health, morality, religion, pop culture, politics, history.

Light reading includes, Tastes of Paradise: A Social History of Spices, Stimulants, and Intoxicants

If you have time for scholarly there's Addiction Trajectories or Essential Substances: A Cultural History of Intoxicants in Society

It was quite an interesting book.  Started with tobacco and went through LSD(?).  Even went into some of the wild flowers, Angel's Trumpet, was one. It was before the designer drugs of today. 
I thought I still had it but I must have read it more than 20 years ago.  I tried googling it but to no avail.  Essential Substance sounds along the same lines.

[Chieftain]

It's not exactly the same sort of thing as choosing between Charmin or Scotts in the paper goods aisle at the grocery story.  And it's not always like the hipsters in the '80s who did coke simply because it was the hip, cool thing to do and everyone was doing it.  If you don't understand why some are driven to self-medicate, then consider yourself very lucky, but walk a few miles in someone else's shoes before you start condemning them for having chosen the Charmin instead of the Scotts.

Well put and you're a lot more polite than I would have been.

The problem out there is that oxycontin is a synthetic opioid, that means it works exactly like opium products do, and for many years physicians were prescribing it for every little pain their patient might have, despite knowing full well about the potential for serious addiction.  It was unusual to come away from a visit to the doctor for a minor injury without a 30 day supply of oxycontin, with  refills when needed/wanted.  Chronic pain? No problem.  Step up the dose until the pain stops.  They busted a local "pain clinic" right here in town a couple of years ago that was writing scrips for all kinds of pain meds with little or no medical need.  People were getting prescriptions for Methadone!  Talk about going full circle....when the methadone scrips run out, guess what the next best substitute is??

I know of someone who was taking 30 Mg Oxy three or four times a day.  He was buying mason jars full of 30 mg oxy pills at a time.  He's the one who overdosed on heroin for his kid on Christmas morning.  He got started by hurting his back at work and his "treatment" included all of the pain meds he needed/wanted, and he went straight downhill from there.  As soon as the oxy prescription laws were tightened he was able to quickly, cheaply and efficiently transition over to Mexican black tar heroin which flows into the US almost unimpeded along the entire I-5 corridor.

Nobody sets out with the goal of becoming a heroin addict, yet nobody becomes a heroin addict without making conscious choices as well.  But heroin/opioid addiction is light years different than alcoholism.  It isn't about choosing whiskey or wine either.

 

[Rapunzel]

Doctors are far too eager to prescribe class-3 drugs and a lot of patients are all too willing to take the prescription rather than explore alternatives for pain relief and there is alternatives. 

[mountaineer]

Conscious choices, indeed. 

Hoffman spent $1,000 on heroin & coke in final drug buy
By Larry Celona, Jamie Schram and Philip Messing
February 4, 2014 | 3:49pm
NY Post



Philip Seymour Hoffman scored about $1,000 in heroin and coke in his final drug buy, law-enforcement sources told The Post on Tuesday.

The Oscar-winning actor made the purchase from two drug dealers outside a D’Agostino’s near his West Village pad Saturday night, just hours before he was found dead, sources said.

The dealers, both wearing messenger bags, stood next to the drug-addled actor as he withdrew  $1,200 in six installments from the store’s ATM on Greenwich Street around 8 p.m., sources said.

“That’s when the [drug] transaction took place,” law-enforcement source said.

The brazen drug deal wasn’t caught on video, but cops were scouring area for other surveillance that might show Hoffman or the suspects afterward, including footage from a townhome directly across street from the star’s nearby pad.

Hoffman’s body was found in his apartment just after 11 a.m. Sunday along with 23 empty bags of heroin and 49 sealed bags of the drug, as well as scores of new and used syringes.

A hypodermic needle was found still sticking out of his left forearm.