Half of all white heroin users started by initially using prescription drugs

[MikeMike]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/29/health/heroin-abuse-increase-study/

[Study Showed]...many heroin users start by using prescription opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone. ... . By 2013 more than half of all white heroin users started by initially using prescription drugs.

Based on:
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2612443
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1874575


This is fucking pathetic that we are focusing our war on marijuana.

Studies have shown that states which have legalized pot, have shown reductions in opioid addictions as well as reductions in heroin use.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Half? Bet it's higher than that. The entire heroin epidemic started because doctors were writing Oxy prescriptions like they came with free blow jobs (which might literally be true) and got a whole generation of people addicted to opiates.

 

[dank69]

Yup, once you're hooked on pills it's actually better for your liver to just use heroin.

 

[hal2kilo]

Yup, once you're hooked on pills it's actually better for your liver to just use heroin.

Like it's sold on the street with a guarantee of purity. I've got to see links.

 

[MikeMike]

Yup, once you're hooked on pills it's actually better for your liver to just use heroin.

The ultimate reason was that you had the opioid boom, followed by the market crash.

This sent all the "wealthy" opioid users into a huge issue. They lost insurance, they could no longer get a cheap fix from opioids because no prescription. Black Market opioids were expensive.

What else causes numbness, kills pain, is super cheap, and is very similar? Oh, Heroin.
bam, heroin epidemic.

 

[alien42]

the saddest part of all this is that the Republicans waged the decades long urban war on drugs which only succeeded in filling our prisons with minorities who weren't seen as victims and didn't deserve any help or treatment.

now this new legally started opioid epidemic directly affects the Republican base and now suddenly the addicts are deserving of help and treatment and the drugs are the problem, not the people.

 

[Pipeline 1010]

now this new legally started opioid epidemic directly affects the Republican base and now suddenly the addicts are deserving of help and treatment and the drugs are the problem, not the people.

Hey, whatever it takes to get these a-holes to start thinking about actually solving the problem instead of making it worse.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

In my opinion the drug makers should be held responsible. I remember in the 90s the drug manufacturers were adamant that the new pain pills were non habit forming

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

In my opinion the drug makers should be held responsible. I remember in the 90s the drug manufacturers were adamant that the new pain pills were non habit forming

I don't remember that. What I do recall is Tramadol being the drug which had actions similar to opiates but without physical addiction. Other drugs when used as intended were supposed to be less addictive, but "intended" didn't work out well. Crushing your Oxy and injecting it wasn't an approved means of administration.

Pretty much this is how things work. If it screws with your dopamine so it trips pleasure centers it is addictive for someone. That includes Oxy, heroin, sexual addiction, Big Macs and on and on.

 

[mpo]

Read "Dreamland" by Sam Quinones. Man, what a sad story about the start and continuation of the opiates public health crisis.

 

[ReignQuake]

A person can be addicted to anything, particularly in a family with a history of addiction. I had treatment for Cannabis addiction, that was so embarrassing to admit. It still is. Addictions to other things too.

I have Tramadol. Diazepam. Quetiapine. Nortriptyline. The risk is always there but there has to be more than just the medication, and usually that's intentional misuse.

 

[alien42]

A person can be addicted to anything, particularly in a family with a history of addiction. I had treatment for Cannabis addiction, that was so embarrassing to admit. It still is. Addictions to other things too.

I have Tramadol. Diazepam. Quetiapine. Nortriptyline. The risk is always there but there has to be more than just the medication, and usually that's intentional misuse.

sorry, but there is a huge difference between a physical opiate addiction and a mental addiction such as marijuana, they are simply not equivalent.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Another huge role in all this, is during the 60's, 70's and the War on Drugs, something that was never really clued into people from a social perspective was that prescription drugs could be just as bad as 'hard drugs'. In school (in Texas at least) we were carpet bombed with this in the 90's about how bad drugs were, how pot made you do heroin made you eat people's faces on PCP. They never told you that mom taking three pills a day from a bottle that had a specific text on it might mean she's also an addict, oh and you broke your ankle doing stupid teenage stuff? Or have to get your wisdom teeth removed? Might wanna actually be careful when the doc gives you a prescription for 30x20mg of oxycodone, because maybe you don't need that much and maybe it'll lead you fighting addiction for your next 20 years.

I cannot fathom how the notion of pot being horrible for society but over-prescription of manufactured opiods being completely okay became a thing.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

sorry, but there is a huge difference between a physical opiate addiction and a mental addiction such as marijuana, they are simply not equivalent.

There are different symptoms and degrees but there are psychological dependencies and physical addictions. Depending on dose MJ screws up dopamine and expect addictions. Remember addiction is about changes in brain chemistry. Opiates impact a specific receptor as well so addiction is not as simple as we'd like, but if "it" elevates dopamine release then it can result in addictive behavior.

 

[MikeMike]

I cannot fathom how the notion of pot being horrible for society but over-prescription of manufactured opiods being completely okay became a thing.

 

[interchange]

I don't have the inclination at the moment to write a treatise on opioids, but someday I will, and I imagine no one will like it much.

But, ironically, this morning I was thinking about organizing a community drive to go door-door and provide people opportunity to dispose of unused opioid prescriptions. And it took me far too long (a few minutes) to realize that basically I would be going door to door asking people for drugs. Bad idea.

And then I did a little research and realized how complicated it is to even dispose of an opioid if you want to do so properly.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I don't have the inclination at the moment to write a treatise on opioids, but someday I will, and I imagine no one will like it much.

But, ironically, this morning I was thinking about organizing a community drive to go door-door and provide people opportunity to dispose of unused opioid prescriptions. And it took me far too long (a few minutes) to realize that basically I would be going door to door asking people for drugs. Bad idea.

And then I did a little research and realized how complicated it is to even dispose of an opioid if you want to do so properly.

Regarding the disposal of unwanted opioids, I suggest calling the county health agencies who will usually take them on certain days or can refer to another agency which handles them. But having a drive for drugs? That might not float with LEO, although as an alternative perhaps a drive for rides for the purpose of disposing of meds could be organized in your community. That way only the holder of the prescription and the proper agency would be handling them.

 

[momeNt]

I don't have the inclination at the moment to write a treatise on opioids, but someday I will, and I imagine no one will like it much.

But, ironically, this morning I was thinking about organizing a community drive to go door-door and provide people opportunity to dispose of unused opioid prescriptions. And it took me far too long (a few minutes) to realize that basically I would be going door to door asking people for drugs. Bad idea.

And then I did a little research and realized how complicated it is to even dispose of an opioid if you want to do so properly.

Regarding the disposal of unwanted opioids, I suggest calling the county health agencies who will usually take them on certain days or can refer to another agency which handles them. But having a drive for drugs? That might not float with LEO, although as an alternative perhaps a drive for rides for the purpose of disposing of meds could be organized in your community. That way only the holder of the prescription and the proper agency would be handling them.

https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/Resources...edicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm

FDA recommends flushing down the toilet, even patches.

You could have handed out a pamphlet with that recommendation. I do not know if it is allowed for unused but dispensed medication to be re-used.

 

[interchange]

https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/Resources...edicine/SafeDisposalofMedicines/ucm186187.htm

FDA recommends flushing down the toilet, even patches.

You could have handed out a pamphlet with that recommendation. I do not know if it is allowed for unused but dispensed medication to be re-used.

I saw that, although whether flushing is OK depends on the municipality. And of course I nixed the idea in my head once I thought about it. But I could investigate with law enforcement to see if something more than a drop-off could be arranged.

Mainly I'm thinking that there are probably a bunch of homes with kids/teenagers whose parents have old rx's in medicine cabinets.

 

[emperus]

This whole issues frustrates the hell out of me. All of a sudden people addicted to drugs has become a treatment issue rather than a law enforcement issue. I wonder why that is.

 

[MikeMike]

This whole issues frustrates the hell out of me. All of a sudden people addicted to drugs has become a treatment issue rather than a law enforcement issue. I wonder why that is.

Elaborate what you mean by this.?

 

[Ns1]

The answer is obvious: blame marijuana and get rid of substance abuse programs.

 

[alien42]

Elaborate what you mean by this.?

i believe he was making the same point i made earlier.

now that the drug epidemic affects white Republicans, users are now victims instead of criminals.

 

[Grooveriding]

I don't agree with pharma companies being held responsible, unless there is evidence that they were actively engaged in trying to get people addicted to opiate based products they sell. I do see a case for holding physicians who have knowingly prescribed patients opiates they knew were for recreational use, or irresponsibly prescribing them without monitoring and advising patients on their risks - and when their use wasn't warranted.

Regardless of how you get addicted to a drug, it is still your responsibility, unless they were being forced down your throat. But, I do believe there can be cases for physicians not doing their due diligence in prescribing them.

People move from prescription opiates to heroin because of accessibility. Heroin being easier to get as you don't need a prescription. I'm for full legalization of all drugs for recreational use though. It's the only way to properly get a handle on substance abuse by removing the criminal stigma associated with it, as well as crushing much of organized crime's cashflow around the globe.

 

[interchange]

i believe he was making the same point i made earlier.

now that the drug epidemic affects white Republicans, users are now victims instead of criminals.

Unsure of the interpretation myself, but I would point out that plenty of white Republicans have been affected by drug and alcohol abuse before recent times. Not that opioids don't make it different.

But I did read @emperus comments as professing a belief that illicit drug use is a criminal justice issue rather than a public health issue.