Heroin epidemic?

[Anonymous]

Why and what is this heroin epidemic? Is it only getting so much attention because it's afflicting middle class white people? How do so many people just start using heroin? Growing up in the 80's/90's, heroin was considered to be like crack and really hard core. I couldn't imagine middle class kids (of any race) doing it.

[Anonymous]

Prescription pain killers are overprescribed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why and what is this heroin epidemic? Is it only getting so much attention because it's afflicting middle class white people? How do so many people just start using heroin? Growing up in the 80's/90's, heroin was considered to be like crack and really hard core. I couldn't imagine middle class kids (of any race) doing it.

You're kidding right? You are really naive.

[Anonymous]

Because opiate-related overdoses are dwarfing the numbers of even the worst years of the crack epidemic.

And yes, there is a lot of "but we never thought this would happen to our kid!" at play. As with anything else, it took tragic personal experiences for people to understand addiction as more than just a crime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why and what is this heroin epidemic? Is it only getting so much attention because it's afflicting middle class white people? How do so many people just start using heroin? Growing up in the 80's/90's, heroin was considered to be like crack and really hard core. I couldn't imagine middle class kids (of any race) doing it.

They all start using prescription painkillers, then move to heroin when they can't get the meds anymore. Seriously. Tell your family that if you are in a car accident or have surgery or anything to NOT let them give you large doses of painkillers. You do NOT want to get hooked. You can read about tons of people who were living normal lives and had an injury and were prescribed OxyContin and now two years later they are a heroin addict. Its insane.

[Anonymous]

People start out using prescription painkillers for their aches and pains. Some people are prone to becoming addicted easily and require more and more opioid painkillers to feed their addiction. Eventually, the only opioid strong enough to satisfy the addiction is heroin which is surprisingly cheaper and more easily obtained than the prescription pills that got them in this condition in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why and what is this heroin epidemic? Is it only getting so much attention because it's afflicting middle class white people? How do so many people just start using heroin? Growing up in the 80's/90's, heroin was considered to be like crack and really hard core. I couldn't imagine middle class kids (of any race) doing it.

I don't think the large base of people dying are middle class. You can google many legitimate news articles on this topic for more information.

[Anonymous]

its more readily available and it is more dangerous as its cut with nasty chemicals - this is one of the reasons there have been so many deaths.

Really I don't know if DCUM is the place to find your information on this. Run searches on google and you'll find plenty of articles written recently in well considered journals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because opiate-related overdoses are dwarfing the numbers of even the worst years of the crack epidemic.

And yes, there is a lot of "but we never thought this would happen to our kid!" at play. As with anything else, it took tragic personal experiences for people to understand addiction as more than just a crime.

Quoting my own post bc I forgot to add that if you're interested in this, I highly recommend reading Dreamland by Sam Quinones.

[Anonymous]

Plenty of upper middle class kids succumbing to it. My college roommate's 26 year old son died last year of an overdose on stuff he bought from China on the dark web. They didn't realize he was doing the stuff - just thought he was a pothead as it is legal recreationally where they live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because opiate-related overdoses are dwarfing the numbers of even the worst years of the crack epidemic.

And yes, there is a lot of "but we never thought this would happen to our kid!" at play. As with anything else, it took tragic personal experiences for people to understand addiction as more than just a crime.

Quoting my own post bc I forgot to add that if you're interested in this, I highly recommend reading Dreamland by Sam Quinones.

I will -- thank you. I'll admit to being naive.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in one of the many economically depressed areas in western Pennsylvania, and am facebook friends with many family/friends from the area.

An acquaintance of one of my facebook friends dying from an overdose seems to be a weekly occurrence. It's really sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in one of the many economically depressed areas in western Pennsylvania, and am facebook friends with many family/friends from the area.

An acquaintance of one of my facebook friends dying from an overdose seems to be a weekly occurrence. It's really sad.

Awful. How much do you think economic conditions are a factor?

[Anonymous]

been happening for along time, things most parents don't think about when they turn a blind eye to casual drinking a pot smoking and then kids try to reach that original high and can never reach it so they turn to other things.

sure, argue alcohol and pot are harmless or your kid can handle it as long as they get good grades etc. Many other parents thought the same, fortunately I got help and i was just like your kids from the W schools and private schools.

Signed a recovering addict

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:been happening for along time, things most parents don't think about when they turn a blind eye to casual drinking a pot smoking and then kids try to reach that original high and can never reach it so they turn to other things.

sure, argue alcohol and pot are harmless or your kid can handle it as long as they get good grades etc. Many other parents thought the same, fortunately I got help and i was just like your kids from the W schools and private schools.

Signed a recovering addict

Thus the heroin epidemics in Colorado and Washington and Oregon, right? All that legalized pot in OH, PA and WVA and MD must be pushing users for more more more.