The West Virginia Overdose Epidemic

[MichaelWinicki]

Great article.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/05/the-addicts-next-door

 

[BigStar]

Very unfortunate but informing read and appreciate the information. WV isn't the only state with this issue by a long shot but really get the gip when it comes to social health services (Appalachia in general). The attitude of some of the residents mentioned in the article are shared by many in the country and that's a hard fight to change; pretty black n white issue for most, etc.

 

[Ranching]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of mentally weak people. To put your kids through that is unforgivable. Very sad, ive seen too much of that throughout my career as a coach.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I know West Virginia currently also has a Diablo III epidemic.

 

[Melonfeud]

There is SO much not being said about such a worthy subject matter,Michael.
I'm listening to 'Sam Stone' by John Prine while composing my addendum to your epic red star cluster trip flare
This "Thread/Header" should generate.
1) just where is this cheap *** crap coming from?
2) eastern seaboard/ a vast plethora of u.s. Naval ports.
3) Langley of C.I.A. fame was in Virginia the last time I was there.
4) Iran-contra? With the profit boost of marketing a
Smokable ' nitrous oxide/ double 4-Barrel boost' from the regular toot train folks were riding," they" flooded the inner cities with that crap.

Now, they are exploiting another Avenue! all in the Quest for profit/SOULS.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Id hardly call people doing what they want with their own bodies an "epidemic"

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I know West Virginia currently also has a Diablo III epidemic.

Working on a Witch Doctor now.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Id hardly call people doing what they want with their own bodies an "epidemic"

Unless someone is single, without children or family, is growing their own drugs and taking their own drugs in a responsible manner (meaning at home, not going out under the influence and not over dosing)...than chances are it is not a situation where it is just some person doing something to their own bodies and not effecting/affecting others.

And so let's leave out those very very small amount of people who probably only live in fantasy island and talk about the growing number of people taking hard drugs, whether prescription or not, (not talking mary jane) that leave the people incapable of making responsible decisions for themselves, their families and communities...yeah...I would say it is growing to epidemic proportions in some areas.

It takes a toil on the community, law enforcement, medical profession, courts and families in most cases.

It is RARELY just about one guy taking something that only effects themselves.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Unless someone is single, without children or family, is growing their own drugs and taking their own drugs in a responsible manner (meaning at home, not going out under the influence and not over dosing)...than chances are it is not a situation where it is just some person doing something to their own bodies and not effecting/affecting others.

And so let's leave out those very very small amount of people who probably only live in fantasy island and talk about the growing number of people taking hard drugs, whether prescription or not, (not talking mary jane) that leave the people incapable of making responsible decisions for themselves, their families and communities...yeah...I would say it is growing to epidemic proportions in some areas.

It takes a toil on the community, law enforcement, medical profession, courts and families in most cases.

It is RARELY just about one guy taking something that only effects themselves.

It doesnt have to be the scenario you described to fit into the scenario I described.

If you want to hammer some drugs on friday night and go drop the kids off at grandma and grandpa's and have a will that handles your kids and possessions if you die...then have at it.

Harm is not some magical huge idea...it has to specifically be harming someone's physical self or their physical possessions.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

When I was young in WV you had Alcohol (legal or not) and Mary Jane.

That was mostly what your choices were as far as drugs were in most rural areas of WV.

Than in the late 80's to early 90's you would see helicopters finding huge cash crops of MJ.
Weeks later you would hear about the bust and they would burn all of it. Those days we used to joke about seeing all the state or county police having red eyes
from being around mary jane bonfires

Still you did not have much choice but those. Some of the other drugs were in circulation but nowhere near like Booze or Mary Jane.

Meth came along and it took longer to take hold in WV than in many other states because most it seemed to start in Suburban areas vs Rural Areas.

We would see reports of the meth problem in big cities and think to ourselves...WV does not have much to offer but at least we don't have to worry about these rampant drug problems
these big cities have going on.

But finally meth came to WV and now 20-30 years later you see the paper full of names you recognize from High School getting busted. People that came from good families.

Sadly the other problem in WV is prescription medications. Oxycontin is a big one ...around here it is called Hill Billy Herioin. And that is just one prescription pill that is abuse, there are many others.
To the point that if you have a legit injury and have to be on some pain pills...more often than not you have one doctor prescribe it but if you are going to be on the pills for a length of time you have to go to yet another doctor in a pain clinic just to sign off on them to make sure that you are taking them and not selling them. Sometimes people have to get tests just to make sure they are taking the pills instead of selling them. Then you have the issue of many people stealing the pills from elderly people. Stealing them from their own family. It is nothing to see kids now having to have pills just so they can "concentrate" in school. We were tired and bored in school back in our day just like many others...we did not have to be put on add meds just so we could concentrate.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

It doesnt have to be the scenario you described to fit into the scenario I described.

If you want to hammer some drugs on friday night and go drop the kids off at grandma and grandpa's and have a will that handles your kids and possessions if you die...then have at it.

Harm is not some magical huge idea...it has to specifically be harming someone's physical self or their physical possessions.

Except you are leaving off the part of those who are bringing in the drugs, selling the drugs.
Leaving a will in case you Od is great...but you are forgetting the burden it puts on those Grandparents who only expected to have the kids for the weekend and not the rest of their lives thanks to un responsible parents who decided they want to hammer some drugs on the Friday night. Or they go out and hammer some drugs and get arrested for something. Court costs to the family. Time going through paper work if they are caught putting undo pressure on others to watch the kids.

This is not a situation where somebody just wants to go out to the bars on the weekend to blow some steam off. That I can understand if they have a designated driver and just want a few drinks to blow some steam off and relax.

What is happening, like the article is talking about...Is nothing like that at all. It is kids seeing their parents ODing out in the yard or in the house.


These are some drugs out there not what wreck havoc on people and their families this is what is being talked about in the article.

 

[DFWJC]

That's one nasty, soul crushing habit.
Really sad story

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Except you are leaving off the part of those who are bringing in the drugs, selling the drugs.
Leaving a will in case you Od is great...but you are forgetting the burden it puts on those Grandparents who only expected to have the kids for the weekend and not the rest of their lives thanks to un responsible parents who decided they want to hammer some drugs on the Friday night. Or they go out and hammer some drugs and get arrested for something. Court costs to the family. Time going through paper work if they are caught putting undo pressure on others to watch the kids.

This is not a situation where somebody just wants to go out to the bars on the weekend to blow some steam off. That I can understand if they have a designated driver and just want a few drinks to blow some steam off and relax.

What is happening, like the article is talking about...Is nothing like that at all. It is kids seeing their parents ODing out in the yard or in the house.


These are some drugs out there not what wreck havoc on people and their families this is what is being talked about in the article.

My grandma tells stories of having to drag her father in off the front porch steps from him being passed out drunk, and how as they would drag him up the steps, his head would hit each step. And about how the alcohol made him very abusive physically. He couldnt hold down a job because he would always be drunk. All 7 kids shared one single mattress together that had a hole in the middle of it from the younger siblings peeing the bed at night and it rotted the mattress out.

So drugs are bad because kids are seeing their parents ODing out in the yard or in the house and we should heavily control them....but when kids see their parents ODing in the yard or in the house on alcohol its "blowing off steam".

Cognitive dissonance.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

How does a will handle your kids? I mean, you can leave as much money and property behind as you want but there is no replacing parents in a kids life. JMO

 

[65fastback2plus2]

How does a will handle your kids? I mean, you can leave as much money and property behind as you want but there is no replacing parents in a kids life. JMO

We're talking about providing for their physical safety here.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

We're talking about providing for their physical safety here.

I am talking about raising kids. Money or physical is not all there is. That's what I'm saying.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

My grandma tells stories of having to drag her father in off the front porch steps from him being passed out drunk, and how as they would drag him up the steps, his head would hit each step. And about how the alcohol made him very abusive physically. He couldnt hold down a job because he would always be drunk. All 7 kids shared one single mattress together that had a hole in the middle of it from the younger siblings peeing the bed at night and it rotted the mattress out.

So drugs are bad because kids are seeing their parents ODing out in the yard or in the house and we should heavily control them....but when kids see their parents ODing in the yard or in the house on alcohol its "blowing off steam".

Cognitive dissonance.

Good Grief.

You gotta be kidding me with that post...I am being serious...are you just trying to make a bizarre post to mess with me as a joke?

You just described the very thing I was talking about with some people who cannot control themselves and therefore hurt others vs your original post that it is ok for someone to just drop off the kids at grannies and go hammer some drugs being ok.

I made NO distinction that Alcohol was ok vs other Drugs being bad. That argument is only in your head.

I said if they were responsible and just blowing off some steam with a few drinks and you turned that into some bizarre argument that goes against your own argument initially to counter my argument that I never made.

WOW! and you have the nerve to say cognitive dissonance.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Good Grief.

You gotta be kidding me with that post...I am being serious...are you just trying to make a bizarre post to mess with me as a joke?

You just described the very thing I was talking about with some people who cannot control themselves and therefore hurt others vs your original post that it is ok for someone to just drop off the kids at grannies and go hammer some drugs being ok.

I made NO distinction that Alcohol was ok vs other Drugs being bad. That argument is only in your head.

I said if they were responsible and just blowing off some steam with a few drinks and you turned that into some bizarre argument that goes against your own argument initially to counter my argument that I never made.

WOW! and you have the nerve to say cognitive dissonance.

I dont use drugs or alcohol; never have, never will.

But I recognize the right of individuals to use both and destroy themselves with it if they want.

To complain about the drugs side but then say that instead of doing hard drugs, just use alcohol instead...thats ridiculous. They're the same things. So if one wants to be consistent, then the stance on both substances should be the same. Not different.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I dont use drugs or alcohol; never have, never will.

But I recognize the right of individuals to use both and destroy themselves with it if they want.

To complain about the drugs side but then say that instead of doing hard drugs, just use alcohol instead...thats ridiculous. They're the same things. So if one wants to be consistent, then the stance on both substances should be the same. Not different.

You are making an argument I DID NOT MAKE!

Some how in your mind you think I said it is ok to get blitzed on Alcohol but not drugs.

Never said that.

You made the general argument that what people do to themselves is ok.

I said that was not what the article was about. It was about people doing drugs and it hurting the families.

You said it is ok for someone to drop off the kids at grandmas to go slam some drugs.

I said that would be ok as long as they are responsible and have a designated driver to blow off some steam.

IF you actually read my other posters not responding to you...I labeled Alcohol, Prescription pills as drugs as well.

So ONLY in your mind did you make an argument that I NEVER MADE.

Hence my reaction that you must be living in some bizarre world and that your post must be a joke post or something.

If there is argument we have it is that rarely does someone destroy themselves with drugs (whether it be alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, over the counter drugs) without it hurting or effect those around them.
It can have issues with family members having to deal with it, it has issues with the community having to deal with them, the law enforcement dealing with them, medical practices dealing with it, businesses that are owed money from the individuals.

It is a very rare case that an individual can destroy themselves with these devices and it bothers nobody else.

THAT is an argument we can have.

The one that you have presented is an argument you created against me that I have not made what so ever.

This reminds me of smoking. Some would argue Hey at one time it was a ok. Then they would argue, it was only hurting those who smoked...let those smokers smoke where they want to they are only hurting themselves...to now knowing that second hand smoke hurts other people. Yep...hey another drug we are talking about.

(And I smoked for 20+ years so I am not some smoker hater guy).

So please...don't make up arguments to assign to me that I am not making.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I dont use drugs or alcohol; never have, never will.

But I recognize the right of individuals to use both and destroy themselves with it if they want.

To complain about the drugs side but then say that instead of doing hard drugs, just use alcohol instead...thats ridiculous. They're the same things. So if one wants to be consistent, then the stance on both substances should be the same. Not different.

Mine is and I still have a problem with your short-sighted view. The vast majority of users don't just "destroy themselves", they damage a wide swath of people around them who care about them or depend on them.

Additionally, do you think that all of them have the means to fund their habit?..... for their entire lives? From the crime that is committed to the cost and use of additional resources from a public safety standpoint to just everyday events, peoples' drug use affects most of, if not all of us. Try to buy cold medicine lately?