The OPIOID EPIDEMIC -- Seeking Your Thoughts.

a reply to: FlyInTheOintment

Good deed for the day..!

a reply to: carewemust

Look at Afghanistan opium production in 2001 when 'The Taliban™" was in-charge (7%) and what it is today (close to 90%)

This I learned while I was boxing My compass getting ready to be retired out w/a broken back/neck fighting "The War on Drugs" I first went through 19 months of Physical Therapy 4x a week for 1 1/2 hrs. Then I went to 5 different surgeons/specialists in Ca. and 2 more here and I'm waiting for My back to get operated on. I have been on the same dose of opiates for 13 years now, the same as when I started but I do Yoga and am now physically fit, oh and I also use Cannabis in its legal form ..

When the "Pill Mills" were closed, those folks now had to go buy their junk on the streets, so they had to buy pills or the more readily available Heroin. (look at Cee EYE A/Vietnam body bags) So the U.S. first had an opiate pain medication epidemic followed closely by a Heroin epidemic. Are there more/less "Private Jails/Prisons"?

When I started in the Police Business, it was "The Crack War" this is when the Urban user/abuser was sent to Prison for 'rocking it up and making 3x the amount of $$$' while the sub-Urban user/abuser was sentenced to Probation for using the same drug but in powder form (coc aine Hydrochloride)

The difference now is the $$$ grubbing turds don't care who they make their $$$ from..

P.S. there isn't more dope being used in the ghettoes/lower income housing, the police only target these folks because they are less apt to retain private counsel (They do "plea bargains" 95% of those incarcerated are there on a Plea bargain)

Proud Member of LEAP.cc Law Enforcement Action Partnership nee: LE Against Prohibition

Addiction has to start somewhere after all it's just a pill right. All the other drugs I tried weren't that bad. After all it is labeled a medicine.

I'm not condoning drug use I'm just using the example many people fall into with addiction. I've been surrounded by drug addicts for 35 years.

I've seen a lot of lives destroyed.

People with no history of drug use don't just wake up one day and say I'm going to go buy Oxycontin. Sure some people get hooked from being prescribed it. Most that get hooked try it on the street level.

I've seen it with family and friends.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: underwerks


On the surface, I like the idea of legalizing some substances. This generates additional income that can be used for constructive purposes.. like gambling does for certain localities.

On the negative side, what if someone we love is killed by a "high" person driving over the yellow line?

I don't believe it should be the governments job to try and protect me from myself.

a reply to: MOMof3

Ill catch flack but a LOT of similar and disimilar but still bad statistics are worse in the South. Cannot say why exactly for sure.

a reply to: carewemust
It's definitely an "epidemic". I'm running a medical dispensary in Colorado that specializes in getting people off this garbage.

In states with medical marijuana painkiller deaths drop 25%

originally posted by: JAY1980
a reply to: carewemust
It's definitely an "epidemic". I'm running a medical dispensary in Colorado that specializes in getting people off this garbage.

In states with medical marijuana painkiller deaths drop 25%

This was one of the big selling points when my wife talked me into buying property in Maine. Green keeps me clean. Were the Colorado options available to me in NY, I could drop half of my prescriptions. But here, their answer to the opiate crisis is to clamp down on Docs who prescribe. Now I'm fine with the State monitoring what the Docs are prescribing, to an extent. But when I have to sign a contract w/ my pain management specialist agreeing to drive down there on a days notice for a full count of all my meds and random urinalysis to monitor levels in my system to calculate what I took and how long ago along with a disclaimer that if I test positive for cannabis I will be kicked out of the practice and not be dispensed refills... I find that egregiously insane. They find it perfectly acceptable to force me into horrific withdrawal because I would prefer a medicine that doesn't have those side effects!

Especially when one of the Republicans who voted against Medical Marijuana here changed his tune and was forced to obtain medicine illegally from out of state once his child was diagnosed with a disease that was greatly aided by using cannabis products, its bull s#. I always appreciate the irony of a hypocrite who is forced to see the other side of the coin when it hits close to home.

I waffled on posting in this thread because I've been on both sides of this equation as both a "junkie" according to many people posting here as well as the legal prescription end of things. The less than legal past wasn't born of a desire to get high though. It was a last act of desperation because my body was destroyed serving my country and like 60% of all former active duty military, I was denied VA health benefits. When you can't move, when everything you do is excruciatingly painful and all you want to do is get through the day, go to work and try to be a productive member of society but nobody is willing to help you because the VA denied me but regular health insurance wouldn't cover any of it because according to them it was a preexisting condition, a desperate person will go to great lengths to be free of pain.

There are a multitude of mitigating factors that can lead to someone becoming an addict. Naivete and foolishness are definitely large factors for many people as well, but nobody wakes up one day and says "Hey, I think I'll throw away my life and everything I've worked for today". It only takes a few days to build up enough tolerance to begin having mild withdrawal symptoms, a couple of weeks on legitimate prescriptions, monitored by a doctor will lead you down the same path as the average street junkie. The fear and desire to avoid withdrawal is a far stronger monkey on your back than the desire or will to be clean and anybody comparing cigarettes to opiates and ranting about willpower is a fool who has no idea what they are talking about, yet I see that analogy all too often in these threads.

Selling fake Oxy pills made from Fentanyl or co-Fentanyl should get the dealer a life sentence.

The same as selling fake drugs with cyanide in them.

I never understood how people got high on morphine or Fentanyl, they did nothing for me and i was maxed out after my 5 way heart by pass surgery.

Chinese trade of deadly opioid carfentanil thrives at the cost of North American lives

globalnews.ca...

China does not genuinely hold America's best interest at heart. We are nothing more than seriously delinquent debtors to China. This is the primary reason China steals IP(intellectual property) from America, at will, without consequences. Our borders are foreign owned. Our government is decentralized and transnationally ran.

a reply to: Brian4real

The only thing I'll add is that the opium angle has been going on for even longer than that. Before, it was primarily the British (and its British East India Company) who controlled the opium trade. In the mid 1800s, they & their Western allies launched 2 separate Opium Wars against Imperial China. Before these wars, China's emperor had outlawed the use of opiates (I think it was punishable by death). But after the wars, British opiates were allowed to flood China, leaving up to 1/3 of the Chinese population addicted. The wikipedia link to the First Opium war is a good read to get you started.

And what we call "The Vietnam War" is also called "The 2nd Indochina War". After WW2, the French tried to reconquer their former colony of Indochina (modern day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; sound familiar?). The natives fought back & even though they suffered more than 1,000,000 civilian deaths, they beat back the French invaders in what would be known as the 1st Indochina War . So then the US & more allies jumped in to retake Indochina.

a reply to: carewemust

1. True
2. More money is always the answer for every politician regardless of party.
3. We should be sympathetic to those that recognize their problem and seek help. We should not be judgmental of others who engage in less than perfect behavior. There's nothing worse than getting cornered by an ex-drinker, ex-smoker, ex-sinner, etc.. hell bent on showing you the way.
4. No. I was addicted to Dr. prescribed Hydrocodone and Oxycodone for about 4 years. I don't think it was a heavy duty addition, only about 60mg/day before the spinal surgery to fix the problem and about 40 mg/day after during recovery and beyond. I wasn't aware I didn't need it anymore because I still hurt. I finally realized it was withdrawals yearning for more of the drug. The epiphany was when I realized where I hurt wasn't where my spine was fused. Here is the controversial part, maybe. I was able to get off the opiods by three means; 1)lots of Tylenol, 2) determination, and 3) marijuana. I know, here come the judgements. But, using a weed that has never killed anyone in a responsible manner to overcome a highly addictive drug seems logical to me.

Many are hooked like me through legitimate need for strong pain suppression. Then when their doctors cut them off they go to the streets and often think they are buying legit pills but instead get fentanyl or they experiment with cheap heroin. The result is a REAL crisis. I've lost cousins and my friends have lost cousins to this. First time get then medical help and counseling to include suicide counseling. Second time make them pay back the emergency costs of saving them. Third time mandatory incarceration with follow up drug tests.

a reply to: carewemust

My mother is addicted. She wrecked her car. She got lucky. She OD'd once and my dad found her. She has a Dr. Feelgood, a DO and I want to go after him, but I don't think I can afford the legal battle. She of course, denies there is any problem.

We are all very helpless in this, including her. I'm glad you saw your way out.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

Nice! Youve given me a good overview of the pre-veitnam drug trade. Ill definetly be looking into that now.
Honestly, I didn't put any study into t before. Thanks!

Trying to keep my story short

I suffered a severe neck injury when I was attacked as a teenager by a gang of 12 louts who decided to literally kick my head in outside a bus stop in 1990. They used the heels of their boots to slam my head and neck and my spine was damaged.

I started to suffer from blinding headaches and was prescribed codeine sulphate, which I'm still on to this day.

They have terrible side effects including night sweats and shortness of breath yet a specialist told me that if I tried to stop using them, the effect upon my body would be too dangerous.

I have even pleaded with my own Doctor to help me to come off them. They say they will help me but then, do nothing to help.

Over 10 years ago I flew from the UK to Vegas to marry my wife and unfortunately I forgot my tablets.
During my stay at Hotel Aria, I suffered the most vile withdrawal effects over a 2 week period, which resulted in my spending most of the time on the toilet, with several embarrassing janitorial visits to unblock the same.

On returning to the UK, my GP put me straight back on the tablets and in my naivety at the time, I did as I was told but now wish I'd never.

These tiny tablets control your life, literally but at least mine are prescribed.

I'm in the process of cutting down myself before eventually going cold turkey despite what the Doctors say.

Oddly enough I read this article this morning about a woman who died as a result of a bad reaction to this drug, whilst paramedics looked on because they thought she was faking her illness.

She was only 22!

Daily Fail

It's not just the states that has this problem but the UK too.

a reply to: Brian4real

No problem. Your insight has helped a lot, too. Just from my limited research, it seems like they've been doing this to various countries for almost 200 years. Literally getting a population hooked on their drugs while fighting wars to keep the supply route in tact.

My Mom had issues with painkillers after one of her surgeries. It took her about 6 months or so to break the addiction & it was painful to watch. She's where I get my stubbornness/steadfastness from, meaning we both refuse to let ourselves be controlled. But a few weeks after surgery, she was hooked. She then spent the next 5 or so months going cold turkey, having horrible side effects, relapsing, going cold turkey, repeat, etc. That's been maybe 7 or 8 years ago & she hates opiates now. She refuses to take them, no matter how many times they're prescribed to her.

If it sounds crazy I assure you it is, and true, that the CIA is involved in drug snuggling since the crack epidemic and Ricky Ross.

Oxycontin was made so white suburban youths, white people too snobbish to do heroin would get hooked without knowing they would be heroin addicts in a matter of time.

Before we invaded Afghanistan they didn't allow opium to be sold or turned into heroin.

Now itthe world's #1 source because we lost Vietnam and in hustler lingo, our "connect'", unable to supply the nation with heroin and fearing Russian dominance in Afghanistan would eliminate the possibility of a new connect' we aided the Mujahadin in destroying so many Russian helicopters they gave up and that was a huge victory...

For us. Once an asset is no longer needed they are eliminated. The war in Afghanistan and Vietnam were partially drug wars to control the international Opium trade.

China was our supplier but we are not going to invade them so we invaded Afghanistan and created a scenario to justify it that was the most despicable cowardly act in history.

Muslims had nothing to with 9/11 and it's not a secret but do people go back and say 'sorry Islam, our country is scum', no.

They live to shout conspiracy re: 9/11 and you will hear the same people talking about a Muslim conspiracy to establish a worldwide universal Caliphate, when the reason there isn't one is a British/Masonic/Zionist/Sabbatean plot that decieved the Arabians they would be independent afterwards.

They are now subservient to worldwide globalist fanatics, the Europeans and Americans and the Zionists who own both.

Like I said, crazy but true as anything ever has been it is.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: worldstarcountry

What are the external symptoms of Opioid addiction that others can see? How do they act, or look?

That is an excellent question, and I suspect that to the untrained eye, there is no differences between the external symptoms.

IMO, just as Quaaludes were eventually withdrawn from the market by a responsible pharmaceutical company and probably some measure of government pressure, the same should be done with these modern opioids like OxyContin.

The unintended side effects are far greater than any good the drugs do for society.

originally posted by: Salander

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: worldstarcountry

What are the external symptoms of Opioid addiction that others can see? How do they act, or look?

That is an excellent question, and I suspect that to the untrained eye, there is no differences between the external symptoms.

IMO, just as Quaaludes were eventually withdrawn from the market by a responsible pharmaceutical company and probably some measure of government pressure, the same should be done with these modern opioids like OxyContin.

The unintended side effects are far greater than any good the drugs do for society.

The only reason people get addicted to opioids is by abusing them and not being properly weaned off.

If they stop making a legitimate medicine because of that it's irresponsible because people actually need it for pain.

But it's overprescribed because of greedy and shady pain clinics that get away with prescribing pain killers to anyone claiming pain because they want them to get addicted.

The Dr. stops prescribing it at a certain point and either the person goes to a methadone clinic and weans off or turns to the street.

Eventually heroin, cheaper, replaces oxycodone.

Which is necessary as they work with street gangs, Chicago's Gangsters Disciples are under Masonic supervision and are allowed to meet in the Lodge. I learned this on YouTube, but it's not a conspiracy theory.

It's a legitimate conspiracy like with Ricky Ross and CIA with crack, except GD'd KNOW who they answer to.

Truth is weird and people mock it.

As they swallow lied like a pro- swallows @#$.

a reply to: Disturbinatti


I know too many youngsters now deceased from whatever # they crushed up and injected, daughters and sons of friends of mine. A damn shame.

Back in Vietnam nobody used needles because the heroin was so available that guys smoked it, not injected it.

If we had responsive government and conscientious corporations, the opioids would be withdrawn from the market, just like they did with Quaalude. It worked then, and it would work now, but it's all about profits in this age.

a reply to: Salander

So because a minority of people are morons and abuse medication, it should all be removed from the market and people who suffer from legitimate pain issues should be left high and dry with no treatment options? Yes... makes perfect sense to punish the innocent for the small number of idiots who succumb to Darwinism. I think I'll stick to taking medical advice from my doctor instead of the random guy online who believes that all out prohibition is the best option.