Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most everyone has some contact with heroin users. The restaurant business has many. Today my DD went to a Starbucks and the barista was a friend of hers she cut off long ago because she's become a hardened addict. We are still puzzling as to how she got this job when there must have been 200 other applicants.

How odd. Cocaine has traditionally been the drug of choice for bar and restaurant employees due to its stimulant effects.

But heroin is a narcotic. How do they work while on heroin?

It is possible to maintain a job or going to school while doing heroin. In the past, this person has gone to a methadone clinic every morning and then shot up heroin after work. She has worked in numerous restaurants and has almost always been able to find a connection through other workers. The son of a friend of mine who died from a heroin overdose also used to work at restaurants.

DD isn't sure if she is still doing methadone but didn't want to ask either. Once a person gets to this stage of addiction, they are very hard to retrieve.

In terms of salvaging people from this drug, success rates are much higher for newer addicts or those who have been able to avoid using more than once or twice a week. This is where our tax dollars would be most effectively spent. Together with newly recovering addicts, these are also the groups must vulnerable to overdose. Hardened addicts are the least likely to overdose.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

What's your solution?

I would begin by NOT releasing the types of convicted felons who the administration continues to release. Look at the list published n the WaPo earlier this week: most of them are repeat offenders; all were dealing drugs and most were selling meth, crack, or heroin - these are experienced career drug traffickers.

It's insanity to release them during a heroin epidemic.

Drug dealers do not make people take drugs. People will do ANYTHING to get high. Sniff paint, huff endust, ingalr paint thinner, glue, smoke potpourri (yes even that). Your suggestion is old ass uneffective Regan era failed policies. We did that. It didnt work. It will never work. Must be nice to live in a black and white world and posess no ability to problem solve outside of the box.

We have a mental health crisis you dingus. We have a jobs crisis. Taking away a small fraction of drug dealers out there will notnsolve our jobs problem and will not solve the mental health problems.

You know what did work? The Nancy Reagan just say no campaign.

I was born in the early 70s and was a tween when Just say No, This is your brain on drugs, etc was in its heyday.

I grew up in one of those poor, trailer park, working class, high drug use areas. Very few of my peers, a year or two up and a year or two down used drugs, even pot, even those in thedemographic that would usually use drugs. When I went to college, there was not much drug use and many people did not even touch the stuff. When I talk with adults of all walks of life born around my age, +/- a year or two, their experience was similar to mine, very little drug use. My slightly older and slightly younger siblings and their peers have very different experiences.

I think there is a sweet spot where kids are just the right age to receive that simple message and have it stick. It worked for most of the people I know who were born right around the same time as I was.


I also have a niece who has gotten into heroin. She is sober now. Her gateway into drugs was prescription drugs to treat adhd and anxiety, then drugs to counterbalance side effects from those drugs, then bigger prescriptions and drug combinations, and eventually after starting adhd meds as a young kid ending up suicidal as a teen and eventually fighting drugaddiction as an adult.

When we medicate our kids for everything from a young age then medicate them more to balance side effects from the drugs then keep increasing dosages as one thing after another wears off, how can we be surprised when they turn to bigger highs as adults?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

I can confirm. We had a heroin overdose at a W school 2 weeks ago.

What are W schools? Didn't some girl from McLean High School die from a heroin overdose?

The "W" Schools in Montgomery county are Whitman, Winston Churchhill, Wootton and Walter Johnson.

Anonymous wrote:

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

I can confirm. We had a heroin overdose at a W school 2 weeks ago.

What are W schools? Didn't some girl from McLean High School die from a heroin overdose?

Anonymous wrote:Most everyone has some contact with heroin users. The restaurant business has many. Today my DD went to a Starbucks and the barista was a friend of hers she cut off long ago because she's become a hardened addict. We are still puzzling as to how she got this job when there must have been 200 other applicants.

How odd. Cocaine has traditionally been the drug of choice for bar and restaurant employees due to its stimulant effects.

But heroin is a narcotic. How do they work while on heroin?

Most everyone has some contact with heroin users. The restaurant business has many. Today my DD went to a Starbucks and the barista was a friend of hers she cut off long ago because she's become a hardened addict. We are still puzzling as to how she got this job when there must have been 200 other applicants.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

What's your solution?

I would begin by NOT releasing the types of convicted felons who the administration continues to release. Look at the list published n the WaPo earlier this week: most of them are repeat offenders; all were dealing drugs and most were selling meth, crack, or heroin - these are experienced career drug traffickers.

It's insanity to release them during a heroin epidemic.

Drug dealers do not make people take drugs. People will do ANYTHING to get high. Sniff paint, huff endust, ingalr paint thinner, glue, smoke potpourri (yes even that). Your suggestion is old ass uneffective Regan era failed policies. We did that. It didnt work. It will never work. Must be nice to live in a black and white world and posess no ability to problem solve outside of the box.

We have a mental health crisis you dingus. We have a jobs crisis. Taking away a small fraction of drug dealers out there will notnsolve our jobs problem and will not solve the mental health problems.

Didn't work? Crime rates have been steadily falling for over 20 years!

WTF are you talking about, you idiot? You must be too stoned to think at all.

And the recent heroin epidemic seems to be caused by over-prescription by doctors. Arrest a few crooked doctors, tighten up the medical regs, and the problem should subside.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

I agree. I'm a prosecutor. Drug crimes go so far beyond just "drug crimes." Sure, there are lots of crimes committed under controlled substance act statutes, but nearly every other kind of crime is somehow tied to drugs. Thefts. Shoplifting. Stealing cars. Stealing guns. Assaults. Child endangerment. Murder. I would estimate that 90% of the crimes that come through my office are rooted in drug use. The drug epidemic is real and it is happeneing in every community.

I am actually in PA so I don't know if this is happening in DC, but we are seeing a lot of heroin that is laced with fentanyl, which is an extremely potent narcotic. We have had a huge spike in overdoses because people are getting this fentanyl-laced heroin and doing the amount of the drug that they are used to, not realizing it's cut with something so potent. And then they die.

So legalize it and regulate it. Look at Saudi Arabia and alcohol. Dangerous methanol is that they consume in these countries with out of touch laws.

....but then we wouldn't have the massive "jobs program" for cops, attorneys, bailiffs, private prison CEOs, wardens, and judges called the Criminal Justice System. JOBS 4 WHITE FOLKS! (largely on the backs of poor men of color)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

I agree. I'm a prosecutor. Drug crimes go so far beyond just "drug crimes." Sure, there are lots of crimes committed under controlled substance act statutes, but nearly every other kind of crime is somehow tied to drugs. Thefts. Shoplifting. Stealing cars. Stealing guns. Assaults. Child endangerment. Murder. I would estimate that 90% of the crimes that come through my office are rooted in drug use. The drug epidemic is real and it is happeneing in every community.

I am actually in PA so I don't know if this is happening in DC, but we are seeing a lot of heroin that is laced with fentanyl, which is an extremely potent narcotic. We have had a huge spike in overdoses because people are getting this fentanyl-laced heroin and doing the amount of the drug that they are used to, not realizing it's cut with something so potent. And then they die.

So legalize it and regulate it. Look at Saudi Arabia and alcohol. Dangerous methanol is that they consume in these countries with out of touch laws.

....but then we wouldn't have the massive "jobs program" for cops, attorneys, bailiffs, private prison CEOs, wardens, and judges called the Criminal Justice System. JOBS 4 WHITE FOLKS! (largely on the backs of poor men of color)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

I agree. I'm a prosecutor. Drug crimes go so far beyond just "drug crimes." Sure, there are lots of crimes committed under controlled substance act statutes, but nearly every other kind of crime is somehow tied to drugs. Thefts. Shoplifting. Stealing cars. Stealing guns. Assaults. Child endangerment. Murder. I would estimate that 90% of the crimes that come through my office are rooted in drug use. The drug epidemic is real and it is happeneing in every community.

I am actually in PA so I don't know if this is happening in DC, but we are seeing a lot of heroin that is laced with fentanyl, which is an extremely potent narcotic. We have had a huge spike in overdoses because people are getting this fentanyl-laced heroin and doing the amount of the drug that they are used to, not realizing it's cut with something so potent. And then they die.

So legalize it and regulate it. Look at Saudi Arabia and alcohol. Dangerous methanol is that they consume in these countries with out of touch laws.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

What's your solution?

I would begin by NOT releasing the types of convicted felons who the administration continues to release. Look at the list published n the WaPo earlier this week: most of them are repeat offenders; all were dealing drugs and most were selling meth, crack, or heroin - these are experienced career drug traffickers.

It's insanity to release them during a heroin epidemic.

Drug dealers do not make people take drugs. People will do ANYTHING to get high. Sniff paint, huff endust, ingalr paint thinner, glue, smoke potpourri (yes even that). Your suggestion is old ass uneffective Regan era failed policies. We did that. It didnt work. It will never work. Must be nice to live in a black and white world and posess no ability to problem solve outside of the box.

We have a mental health crisis you dingus. We have a jobs crisis. Taking away a small fraction of drug dealers out there will notnsolve our jobs problem and will not solve the mental health problems.

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.

Crack cocaine got as much attention in thr 80s and 90s as heroine is getting today. I grew up in DC and it was a huge issue with a lot of coverage. It was a low class thing and it got huge coverage. Nancy regan anyone?

You are very naive. Yes prople go straight from rx opiats when that dries up to heroine and skip the pot and all that BS. Times have changed granny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about this. In some rural communities, it is so widespread - think of all the children of these addicts. What is their future? We desperately need to do something about this problem, but what?

It seems not to be so simple as educating doctors (so that they don't over-prescribe opioids as pain meds). So what next?

Wow - it's almost like we need a war on drugs/crime, except it's fashionable right now to hate the war on drugs/crime.

It's in fashion to promote legalizing more and more types of drugs, and throw open the doors of our prisons so convicted criminals can be free to victimize the innocent. And vote - we need more criminals voting in our elections.

What is happening in America is total insanity.

I agree. I'm a prosecutor. Drug crimes go so far beyond just "drug crimes." Sure, there are lots of crimes committed under controlled substance act statutes, but nearly every other kind of crime is somehow tied to drugs. Thefts. Shoplifting. Stealing cars. Stealing guns. Assaults. Child endangerment. Murder. I would estimate that 90% of the crimes that come through my office are rooted in drug use. The drug epidemic is real and it is happeneing in every community.

I am actually in PA so I don't know if this is happening in DC, but we are seeing a lot of heroin that is laced with fentanyl, which is an extremely potent narcotic. We have had a huge spike in overdoses because people are getting this fentanyl-laced heroin and doing the amount of the drug that they are used to, not realizing it's cut with something so potent. And then they die.

This doesn't concern me at all. Let the junkies off themselves

Anonymous wrote:

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

I can confirm. We had a heroin overdose at a W school 2 weeks ago.

It's not just kids. It's parents of kids, too.