Let's Talk About The Opioid Problem

[Trackhead]

There is one problem that has an easy solution--shit and trash on the streets. Put out some dumpsters and porta-potties and stop pretending the homeless aren't there.

The next problem is harder to fix: all your shit getting stolen non-stop. I’m sure Oregon’s idea of giving all the homeless a $1000/mos will fix everything. Or LA and forcing hotels to house them…so when a paying customer shows up the lobby is full of piss stained addicts full of scabies and bed bugs.

[ötzi]

If people would stop buying stolen shit it might help that part of it. The housing they had in Qatar for the WC seems like a good model for housing the homeless. Cheap, adequate but not luxurious, durable, movable. Shit they packed up like 10,000 units and shipped them to Turkey after the quake, maybe Turkey can ship them to Portland when they're done rebuilding.

[SumJongGuy]

A giant earthquake will fix everything!

[SkiBall]

Heard something the other day to the effect of fentanyl will put an end to recreational drugs. Mostly how they are infiltrating other drugs like coke and X and the like. Too cheap and too small to do so much. Local kid dropped out on some X that had fent in it. Doubt what they were going for. I’d be a bit spooked scoring some strange. I liked to go fast though. Not that opioid high shit. Fucking grateful for that.
Another thing heard around the homeless around numbing out to not feel the cold, or speeding up to keep warm. Rationalized reality.

[old goat]

I fell on my ass xc skiing a couple of months ago--to be precise I was xc standing--and wound up with a 10 cm hematoma. They could see active bleeding on the CT (looking for a pelvic fx). They wanted to give me a Percocet prescription. I asked for Vicodin. I wasn't having Percocet grade pain. It was nice to have the Vicodin.

[Cono Este]

Ive heard the “smart” drug users are now buying cheap, Fent test kits to make sure their drugs are not laced.

[SkiBall]

Ive heard the “smart” drug users are now buying cheap, Fent test kits to make sure their drugs are not laced.

And in some state(s?), those test strips are considered paraphernalia and you can be busted for it. This is where we are. But heck, I would have liked to have test strips back in the day for a few transactions.

[evdog]

A giant earthquake will fix everything!

See you down in Arizona Bay

[ötzi]

Heard something the other day to the effect of fentanyl will put an end to recreational drugs.

If you were conspiracy-minded you might wonder about that. And whose interests that would serve. And the fact that it makes no economic sense to put Fent in other drugs. Why cut blow with Fentanyl? Mannitol's a lot cheaper, won't kill anyone, and won't counteract the blow. If I was a conspiracy guy I'd be like hmmm.

[fastfred]

I have lots to say about this pretty much these thoughts are at the forefront of my brain daily I've been surrounded by drug users and alcoholics my whole life

our current approach to the "war on drugs" is a complete failure and has been since it began
taking the money away from tanks and jack booted thugs and putting it towards rehab and social workers would be the first good step
when nixon started the war on drugs a majority of the budget was put towards the addicts over time the budget started buying more guns than clean needles
thats our biggest failure

one person in my life enjoys smoking crack cocaine I have had conversations about the addiction where you don't condemn don't ask them to stop or tell them they are going to die you just listen
the way it was explained to me the excitement they have towards getting high was as if it was a perfect day skiing it made them so happy to do it they were on top of the world
another person pissed away a solid career in the medical field by figuring out how to steal pills and write themselves prescriptions eventually they were caught
addicts are the most cunning individuals out there they will and can outsmart anyone all day long

back to the isolation people have just stopped evolving as an individual they have gotten to a place in life and given up on who they could be
I'm so glad I don't have that issue I'm so happy I am constantly growing that I'm planning out the next phase of my life
I could easily get beaten down like everyone else due to health issues loneliness and having to wake up and be my best every day
sounds so easy doesn't it?

I have tons of friends to call every day
I text and call to see if anyone wants to ski or ride bikes or take a trip with me
yesterday I skied with a buddy he was alittle more quiet than normal cause work had crushed him (dealing with millions of gapers will do that) so we talked alittle and skied it was nice
most people don't do things like that yeah yeah it's tgr we all do that shit right?

Not on social media not reading and posting bs online helps to no end
but most of us have been consumed with comparing ourselves to made up shit online

the drugs are a result not a cause
until we stop warehousing mental health and addicts in prisons we will continue to see the the scourge of the homeless

don't even get me started on the prison system

[SumJongGuy]

^^^I knew eventually we'd find some things fred and I agree on.. There is some of that there ^^^^

Heard something the other day to the effect of fentanyl will put an end to recreational drugs. .

If it's found being sold a legit licensed MJ dispensary I'll agree with that. When US alcohol with the tax stamps turns up tainted the way Mexican alcohol does I'll agree with that. "Well regulated" recreational drugs are much less susceptible to this problem.

[Thaleia]

If you were conspiracy-minded you might wonder about that. And whose interests that would serve. And the fact that it makes no economic sense to put Fent in other drugs. Why cut blow with Fentanyl? Mannitol's a lot cheaper, won't kill anyone, and won't counteract the blow. If I was a conspiracy guy I'd be like hmmm.

I suspect it has more to do with unintentional cross contamination when various drugs are getting stepped on and packaged.

[Bunion 2020]

I suspect it has more to do with unintentional cross contamination when various drugs are getting stepped on and packaged.

You saying the QC is a bit more than casual?

At this point what would happen if most drugs were made legal and free with a scrip. and to get a scrip you went and saw a medications specialist and were written a scrip? Certainly would put the cartels in a world of hurt.

[baron]

People are weak minded and will always have self-control problems. Add in a super addictive substance and they have no chance. From what I hear people detoxing off opioids would rather die than stop, because the pain and mental trauma is so bad. This problem has been around for thousands of years and we still have never found a solution except >don't start and you won't have to quit.

[Thaleia]

You saying the QC is a bit more than casual?

At this point what would happen if most drugs were made legal

FIFY!

don't start and you won't have to quit.

While overly simplistic there is something there. Education on the severity of addiction and what that entails is key. F/C is not going anywhere. You're foolish to think otherwise.

Anyone with a couple hundred bucks in bitcoin and access to the darkweb can have a non descript envelope delivered from China containing enough supply to keep any hardcore opiate user blasted for months on end.

[baron]

FIFY!



While overly simplistic there is something there. Education on the severity of addiction and what that entails is key. F/C is not going anywhere. You're foolish to think otherwise.

Anyone with a couple hundred bucks in bitcoin and access to the darkweb can have a non descript envelope delivered from China containing enough supply to keep any hardcore opiate user blasted for months on end.

education indeed... no one starts out thinking "I want to get an 8 ball of heroin to last the next few weeks" remember the old saying> " this one is free " to start you out. But usually, it's just a fri night party dabbling that turns into a lifetime problem.

Education needs to be more than a narrative read from a book...people need real life interaction to learn. Better to learn from others mistakes than from your own. If the school won't teach it>take your kids out and talk to some junkies in person/disclaimer>and please use good judgement...don't want to end up in the ER or a body bag.

[SumJongGuy]

Am I naive to be under the impression that there really is a huge significance to fully legal prescription use being one of, if not THE biggest gateway to the current addiction crisis?

I hear testimonial after testimonial that start with.. I was injured and... or I needed surgery and... from people who ended up dying or treatment or jail..

Then there were others who just happened to know or be around people who were in the above satiation.. so it's " a friend of mine had some from injury or I found them in my parents' medicine cabinet..

Ya, weed, and booze, and coke users are more likely to try oxy.. I probably would have had the access been there back in the day..

[SkiBall]

If you were conspiracy-minded you might wonder about that. And whose interests that would serve. And the fact that it makes no economic sense to put Fent in other drugs. Why cut blow with Fentanyl? Mannitol's a lot cheaper, won't kill anyone, and won't counteract the blow. If I was a conspiracy guy I'd be like hmmm.

I haven’t let myself go so far down that rabbit hole, but it is a curious thing. Maybe I am a purist, and would hope that the trip you buy a ticket for takes you somewhere close to your plan. There are a lot of people not looking out for others best interest that it could be coming from many directions.
But helll, regulate them all and put the money into rehab, mental health, etc. The war on the poor, er, drugs, is a failure except to those who deem it a success. I am starting to feel that capitalism is kinda ducking evil, even more than autocorrect. Too much money in too few hands, made with the misery of many who can’t fight back too easily.
And no, I am not expecting to see fent in the local dispensary. I mean, weed is medicine, not recreation.

[baron]

Am I naive to be under the impression that there really is a huge significance to fully legal prescription use being one of, if not THE biggest gateway to the current addiction crisis?

I hear testimonial after testimonial that start with.. I was injured and... or I needed surgery and... from people who ended up dying or treatment or jail..

Then there were others who just happened to know or be around people who were in the above satiation.. so it's " a friend of mine had some from injury or I found them in my parents' medicine cabinet..

Ya, weed, and booze, and coke users are more likely to try oxy.. I probably would have had the access been there back in the day..

there is the monopoly law..which broke up companies like at&t, which kept competition in the market to give Americans fair value for services. I think microsoft was the last to get that treatment. One of the biggest causes of inflation is the lack of competition in the different markets now. Google is a prime example>they have more cash than most countries and can easily buy their will into legislation. People who work for the most profitable industries can afford the inflated prices...while working class people have not had the same rise in income.

as far as where the bulk of opioid users come from, the numbers may be skewed? People who dip into it recreationally and become addicts may not have a loud enough voice to be heard and counted? People on the street are usually not in the system.

[fomofo]

Interesting account and perspective...

https://old.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/c..._homeless_camp

His 5 Facts summary maps pretty well to the real world reality.

[Trackhead]

“ I was never offered social programs or housing, but I wouldn't have taken it anyways. 100% of us were on drugs.”



Great write up thx for sharing the link.

[Dantheman]

one person in my life enjoys smoking crack cocaine I have had conversations about the addiction where you don't condemn don't ask them to stop or tell them they are going to die you just listen
the way it was explained to me the excitement they have towards getting high was as if it was a perfect day skiing it made them so happy to do it they were on top of the world

If I had a drug habit that consumed as much of my time and money and put me in as much physical danger as skiing and mountain biking do people would say I have a serious problem.

[lowsparkco]

I was having a few beers with an old friend I hadn’t seen in some time. We were close years earlier and we conversed like no time had passed. I opened a beer and walked out onto the deck, he lived in a house where I had rented a room from him years earlier. The sun was setting, I was feeling nostalgic. I hadn’t smoked a cigarette in two or three years, but in that moment I wanted one. I laughed at myself telling him how even years after quitting there was a special blood alcohol concentration of alcohol where I felt powerless, and if someone had a pack I most certainly would have asked for one. He looked at me and said I know exactly how you feel, I get the same way about cocaine.

It was the first time I really understood why a lot of addicts are forced to quit everything. I don’t drink much any longer, but all I could think of was how lame and disappointing it was when I caved and had a smoke, I couldn’t imagine the ups and downs of going on a coke bender or shooting up H all because I had one too many beers.

He hasn’t done coke in a long time, but he eventually realized that he couldn’t drink in order to make sure that was the case. And probably more importantly he did a lot of work with a therapist. Why in the world we can’t make more talk therapy more available to more people I’ll never understand. For one less fighter jet we could provide a whole state with free therapy for a year.

[Trackhead]

Why in the world we can’t make more talk therapy more available to more people I’ll never understand. For one less fighter jet we could provide a whole state with free therapy for a year.

A person has to voluntarily go to therapy, week after week. Relapse rates for alcoholism, etc, are frequent. Divert all the defense spending you want, it still won’t get the addict from the tent in the ditch to the office of a social worker. It’s like the argument for a social worker talking down a crazed man with a gun. Not gonna happen. Utopian vs real world are two very different realities.

Few years ago I had a young female patient in the ER with a humongous abscess over her right external jugular from shooting heroin. She was sick as hell, febrile, low-ish blood pressure, tachycardia. Needed (at a minimum) ICU admission, IV antibiotics, IV fluids, and likely surgical intervention. She chose to leave the ER to go get high.

That type of addiction plays out every day in the ER with heroin, alcohol, and meth. People would rather die than stop using.

[MontuckyFried]

You guys familiar with xyzlazine aka "Tranq"? Man, Philadelphia's Kensington Ave is something else.



There are countless videos about the drug and it's some scary stuff. It's tragic.