I can understand, and have felt the same as these medics in the article. You get numb these type of runs after a while. After 25 years of seeing people abuse themselves, it just gets old. I have made more OD's than I can count or remember.

 

The heroin epidemic is becoming so bad that we are in the process of having Narcan available in our local judicial center. Yes, people come to court high and sometimes they OD. It's a true epidemic.

 

Another drug that, IMHO, should be taken off the shelf is Xanax. This is extremely popular with high school kids. There are other drugs to replace Xanax. I have had a personal experience with a teen who used this drug. It's nasty.

 

I try to maintain my empathy for those that are addicts but it is extremely difficult for me. I disagree that it is a disease. Cancer is a disease. The addicts have made a conscious decision to use these substances. I do have empathy for the families that are affected.

 

i work with drug addicts as well. Couldn't agree more. Xanax is the most highly addictive of all the benzos IMO. We see people every day med seeking for Xanax. In my experience, few psychiatrists prescribe it. Usually, it is family physicians. When they realize how hooked the patient is, they cut them off cold turkey. Then the withdrawal happens which isn't pretty.

 

As far as opiates go, as many have said, they are great and wonderful drugs when used appropriately. A lot has been done in recent years to make sure physicians prescribe them judiciously, as well as to make sure patients don't "hospital hop" to get them.

 

I really thought that after a few years, the heroin problem would take care of itself. Some would die, but others might be scared straight. Apparently I was very wrong about that.

 

i work with drug addicts as well. Couldn't agree more. Xanax is the most highly addictive of all the benzos IMO. We see people every day med seeking for Xanax. In my experience, few psychiatrists prescribe it. Usually, it is family physicians. When they realize how hooked the patient is, they cut them off cold turkey. Then the withdrawal happens which isn't pretty.

 

As far as opiates go, as many have said, they are great and wonderful drugs when used appropriately. A lot has been done in recent years to make sure physicians prescribe them judiciously, as well as to make sure patients don't "hospital hop" to get them.

 

I really thought that after a few years, the heroin problem would take care of itself. Some would die, but others might be scared straight. Apparently I was very wrong about that.

 

Excellent post. Agree with all of it.

The results of this 3 year study says that roughly 1/3 of heroin user got there because of pain pill addiction. The other 2/3 chose to take it for other reasons.

 

Study explains why people use heroin

 

The 10-month study of suburban students, parents and heroin users concluded that most people have little knowledge about heroin when they first use it, and one-third of those surveyed starting using it after being addicted to or misusing prescription pain pills such as OxyContin or Vicodin.

 

The study also found that more than 75 percent of respondents had a concurrent mental health condition, such as depression, ADHD or bipolar disorder, and used heroin to self-medicate. Two-thirds of those surveyed displayed "sensation-seeking behaviors," which researchers translated to mean they got a thrill out of driving to the West Side of Chicago to buy heroin without getting caught. The study also found that the suburban heroin user is white, and the average age of first use is 18.

 

Tuesday's forum featured a panel of experts who discussed topics such as the science of addiction and how parents can address the problem. The website drugabuse.gov was repeatedly mentioned as an excellent resource. The discussion before the audience of 200 people included the controversial subjects of drug testing in schools and next week's introduction of Senate Bill 1701, which would grant limited immunity to anyone who calls 911 to report a drug overdose.

 

One panelist was Stevenson High School substance abuse prevention coordinator Stephanie Elsass, who said kids are so sophisticated now but also so stressed out. She said students suffering from depression and anxiety are at high risk for drug use, and suicide rates nationwide are climbing.

I've only known two people in my life with any kind of drug addiction.

 

I went to high school with them and ran into them again later in life. Both had crack addictions. Both were out of rehab (one for the third time one for the fifth).

 

Both told me they knew what it did to their bodies, and now that they were clean they could get their health back.

 

Both said they would start taking it again when they were better.

 

Both of their families would have nothing to do with them anymore, because they knew what was going to happen. One almost killed his sister when he was on crack, and both had stolen from their families multiple times, and physically assaulted members.

 

I have a lot of sympathy for their families. Little to none for them.

I see the burden on society that these addicts are. Stealing, robbery, burglary, traffic accidents, traffic deaths, anti social behavior et al. Many, if not most, got hooked because they chose to do drugs. I have no compassion for this lot. I do feel for their families.

In 2016 in KY almost 4 people died from a drug overdose EVERY DAY.

Middletown is now looking into a 3 strikes and you are out for reviving folks.

Middletown is now looking into a 3 strikes and you are out for reviving folks.

 

To that point, I saw this on Facebook yesterday, posted by a childhood friend of mine who now happens to be the police chief in the city I grew up in...and I couldn't agree with him more.

 

Middletown is now looking into a 3 strikes and you are out for reviving folks.

 

Good for them.

Good for them.

 

So supposing your daughter grows up and gets hooked on heroin...she OD's three times and is revived. The fourth time she OD's - even though emergency personnel are there in time to be able to administer Narcan and save her - you would applaud them for sitting there, doing nothing, and watching your daughter languish and die?

So supposing your daughter grows up and gets hooked on heroin...she OD's three times and is revived. The fourth time she OD's - even though emergency personnel are there in time to be able to administer Narcan and save her - you would applaud them for sitting there, doing nothing, and watching your daughter languish and die?

 

I don't have a daughter...:idunno:

 

Of course, I'd be upset that she was dead.

 

People need to be accountable for their actions though. Decisions have consequences.

 

It's not the reviving the people that I have an issue with. It's that taxpayers are made to foot the bill. That shouldn't be the case.

I don't have a daughter...:idunno:

 

Of course, I'd be upset that she was dead.

 

People need to be accountable for their actions though. Decisions have consequences.

 

It's not the reviving the people that I have an issue with. It's that taxpayers are made to foot the bill. That shouldn't be the case.

 

I apologize. I couldn't recall if your avatar was a daughter or son.

 

Regardless, why not make a change to how we hold people accountable rather than...well...letting them die?

I apologize. I couldn't recall if your avatar was a daughter or son.

 

Regardless, why not make a change to how we hold people accountable rather than...well...letting them die?

 

Sure, as long as I don't have to help pay for it, they can throw away as much money as they want on Narcan. It's never going to fix the problem, it's just throwing more and more money away.

Sure, as long as I don't have to help pay for it, they can throw away as much money as they want on Narcan. It's never going to fix the problem, it's just throwing more and more money away.

 

With all of the things that our government throws money away on I do wish they would throw more money at keeping people alive.

With all of the things that our government throws money away on I do wish they would throw more money at keeping people alive.

 

Wouldn't a simple solution be to make those that OD, you know, pay for it themselves?