Zombified, drug-addicted teens in Wheaton startle community

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:
FBI Director Christopher Wray just testified today to the House Judiciary Committee that the number 1 concern of the FBI is drugs, specifically fentanyl in pills.

So this is not a MoCo problem, and fentanyl has nothing to do with weed (although personally I am against freely-available weed).

The precursor ingredients for fentanyl are made in several countries, particularly China, and smuggled at various points of entry, particularly the southern border.

It's a national and geostrategic problem. Remember when the UK pushed opiates in China? Well now this is revenge, isn't it? Tool of war, basically.

And the % of fentanyl users who never smoked weed is what, 1%?

I think the more pertinent statistics is the number of weed smokers who never tried fentanyl.

Not in this case. I bet every one of these kids has a history with pot.

DP. Given the large numbers of pot users who do not use fentanyl, "pot is bad because pot use leads to fentanyl use" is not a valid argument.

Hey Nitwit:

People don’t “use” fentanyl. They use other drugs, including pot, that are laced with fentanyl. And then they die.

To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

You don't know. What FDA or industry organization is screening the pot being sold?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
FBI Director Christopher Wray just testified today to the House Judiciary Committee that the number 1 concern of the FBI is drugs, specifically fentanyl in pills.

So this is not a MoCo problem, and fentanyl has nothing to do with weed (although personally I am against freely-available weed).

The precursor ingredients for fentanyl are made in several countries, particularly China, and smuggled at various points of entry, particularly the southern border.

It's a national and geostrategic problem. Remember when the UK pushed opiates in China? Well now this is revenge, isn't it? Tool of war, basically.

And the % of fentanyl users who never smoked weed is what, 1%?

I think the more pertinent statistics is the number of weed smokers who never tried fentanyl.

Not in this case. I bet every one of these kids has a history with pot.

DP. Given the large numbers of pot users who do not use fentanyl, "pot is bad because pot use leads to fentanyl use" is not a valid argument.

Hey Nitwit:

People don’t “use” fentanyl. They use other drugs, including pot, that are laced with fentanyl. And then they die.

To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

You don't know. What FDA or industry organization is screening the pot being sold?

That goes for everything sold in every store. How do you know what you're getting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

If someone is a gambler, and they can get better odds and win more at a higher risk, they are not going to go to a traditional sportsbook, they will go to their bookie, if someone wants to buy something at a lower price, not have to be known, and have a higher potency, at a higher risk, they are going to buy it off the street.

You’re suggesting that it’s like prescription medication ($$$$) vs street drug ($) situation. When have we seen this before? Opioids v heroin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

If someone is a gambler, and they can get better odds and win more at a higher risk, they are not going to go to a traditional sportsbook, they will go to their bookie, if someone wants to buy something at a lower price, not have to be known, and have a higher potency, at a higher risk, they are going to buy it off the street.

I'm not sure I'm following your argument. Are you saying that, for example, people will buy moonshine, anonymously, rather than going to the liquor store?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

If someone is a gambler, and they can get better odds and win more at a higher risk, they are not going to go to a traditional sportsbook, they will go to their bookie, if someone wants to buy something at a lower price, not have to be known, and have a higher potency, at a higher risk, they are going to buy it off the street.

I'm not sure I'm following your argument. Are you saying that, for example, people will buy moonshine, anonymously, rather than going to the liquor store?

Dp. I think they’re suggesting that it’s like prescription medication ($$$$) vs street drug ($) situation. When have we seen this before? Opioids v heroin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

If someone is a gambler, and they can get better odds and win more at a higher risk, they are not going to go to a traditional sportsbook, they will go to their bookie, if someone wants to buy something at a lower price, not have to be known, and have a higher potency, at a higher risk, they are going to buy it off the street.

I'm not sure I'm following your argument. Are you saying that, for example, people will buy moonshine, anonymously, rather than going to the liquor store?

Dp. I think they’re suggesting that it’s like prescription medication ($$$$) vs street drug ($) situation. When have we seen this before? Opioids v heroin?

Oh, like the way people resort to street drugs when they are no longer able to obtain the addictive prescription medication they were prescribed and then became addicted to? How is this an argument against legalizing pot?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
FBI Director Christopher Wray just testified today to the House Judiciary Committee that the number 1 concern of the FBI is drugs, specifically fentanyl in pills.

So this is not a MoCo problem, and fentanyl has nothing to do with weed (although personally I am against freely-available weed).

The precursor ingredients for fentanyl are made in several countries, particularly China, and smuggled at various points of entry, particularly the southern border.

It's a national and geostrategic problem. Remember when the UK pushed opiates in China? Well now this is revenge, isn't it? Tool of war, basically.

And the % of fentanyl users who never smoked weed is what, 1%?

I think the more pertinent statistics is the number of weed smokers who never tried fentanyl.

Not in this case. I bet every one of these kids has a history with pot.

DP. Given the large numbers of pot users who do not use fentanyl, "pot is bad because pot use leads to fentanyl use" is not a valid argument.

Hey Nitwit:

People don’t “use” fentanyl. They use other drugs, including pot, that are laced with fentanyl. And then they die.

To the extent that this is true, it's an argument for LEGALIZING pot. When you legally buy pot from licensed pot shops, you know you're not getting pot laced with fentanyl.

You don't know. What FDA or industry organization is screening the pot being sold?

The Maryland Cannabis Administration

https://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/home.aspx

couldn’t you google that yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
FBI Director Christopher Wray just testified today to the House Judiciary Committee that the number 1 concern of the FBI is drugs, specifically fentanyl in pills.

So this is not a MoCo problem, and fentanyl has nothing to do with weed (although personally I am against freely-available weed).

The precursor ingredients for fentanyl are made in several countries, particularly China, and smuggled at various points of entry, particularly the southern border.

It's a national and geostrategic problem. Remember when the UK pushed opiates in China? Well now this is revenge, isn't it? Tool of war, basically.

And the % of fentanyl users who never smoked weed is what, 1%?

I think the more pertinent statistics is the number of weed smokers who never tried fentanyl.

Not in this case. I bet every one of these kids has a history with pot.

Exactly. First it's pot, then it's painkillers or fentanyl or coke. This is the progression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
FBI Director Christopher Wray just testified today to the House Judiciary Committee that the number 1 concern of the FBI is drugs, specifically fentanyl in pills.

So this is not a MoCo problem, and fentanyl has nothing to do with weed (although personally I am against freely-available weed).

The precursor ingredients for fentanyl are made in several countries, particularly China, and smuggled at various points of entry, particularly the southern border.

It's a national and geostrategic problem. Remember when the UK pushed opiates in China? Well now this is revenge, isn't it? Tool of war, basically.

And the % of fentanyl users who never smoked weed is what, 1%?

I think the more pertinent statistics is the number of weed smokers who never tried fentanyl.

Not in this case. I bet every one of these kids has a history with pot.

Exactly. First it's pot, then it's painkillers or fentanyl or coke. This is the progression.

More like first it’s a shoulder injury then it’s your doctor, then it’s opiate painkillers then fentanyl. You are clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's sad. What drug are they on?

A variety, but the report specifically cites fentanyl. I'm going to also assume marijuana too.

Unsurprisingly, there are a good number of vape shops and dispensaries that have set up shop in that part of Wheaton too. So I'm sure that supply is going straight to those teenagers.

Probably Xylazine. https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/health-and-medicine/2023/04/06/xylazine--the-so-called--zombie-drug---taking-root-in-nyc--experts-say

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is sad. Where are their parents??

These are like strays!! Parents had sex but did not want children.

Or they’re at work?

They are on welfare. The parents are not married. No way these children are living in a functional and intact family.

This is a ridiculous statement. I don't pretend to know how we can fix this problem, but it is a macro problem and addressing it as if it is a micro problem will do nothing. We are on vacation in another state right now, and there are cannabis shops everywhere. I'm very scared for our society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's frustrating to me how little of the conversation focuses on why kids wind up doing these drugs and what we could be doing as a society to make it less appeal.

You don't do fentanyl just because you're bored. These are kids who are stressed out, hopeless, probably depressed. Agree with a PP that these are obviously not kids from functional homes because parents would intervene and stop this from happening. So what could we be doing in schools an din public outreach to help these kids?

But people don't want to help them. They just want them to go away.

That's circular reasoning. Kids from "functional" homes don't do this, therefore these kids must not be from "functional" homes.

Bad things happen to good parents too.

+1 I know someone who had a a great teen -/ HS athlete, AP classes, etc. He ended up with a sports injury and got hooked on painkillers. Ended up buying pills in college and one had too much fentanyl. Good kid from a good home, real nice parents, UMC, etc. all the things DCUM would approve of and eh still OD’d and passed away.

I’m sure there are more risk factors for kids in unstable homes. But don’t pretend kids from “functional” homes are immune to this. It’s truly scary and can happen to anyone’s kids.

+2. One of my biggest fears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone presenting with zombie-like behavior is not on weed. They are likely on flakka, which is really hitting our area hard and has been for the last 9ish months.

https://www.rn.com/blog/headlines-in-healthcare/flakka-the-zombie-drug/

When you see people standing up nodding off, that's likely heroin and other opiates like fentanyl.

It is rare to go 1 day in the ED without having multiple teens rushed in for ODs. It's a very scary, sad time we are living in.

+1 these kids are on synthetic drugs and/or knockoff Percocets/other prescription painkillers that have been laced/cut with fentanyl. Not garden variety marijuana. It’s a huge problem. People don’t mean to get addicted, to OD, or to start using harder drugs, but it happens because the drug supply is tainted and the drugs just keep getting harder and more cut with stuff that’s really dangerous.

Not sure what the solution is. “Just Say No” didn’t work in the 80s. Securing the borders/customs so this stuff can’t “sneak in” from China is probably the most important but then people will start trying to recreate it in home labs like they did with meth in the mid 2000s …

[Anonymous]

Wheaton is the new Langley Park. The arm pit of Montgomery county.