The drug problem in Hackettstown
Every time I look at Hackettstown PD's release it seems as though they are arresting someone for heroin. Every week I hear of another young person from our town who has passed away because of this terrible drug. How did it inflitrate our town?? Why are so many kids using it??? It is hard for me to imagine how kids from normal surburban life end up with needles in their arms on the street.
When I was kid, we only knew the occasional pot smoker! Now I know 4 parents who have either lost a child or are struggling with their child using heroin.
When will it end?? What can our town do to encourage these high schoolers to NEVER use such a dangerous drug?!?!?!?
ConcernedMotherof5 ConcernedMotherof5,
I am with you on all this. What we need to do in this town is have something for the kids to do. How about a YMCA instead of more apartments that are being built. a bowling alley, a place where they can go, to call their own. I constantly hear, "there's absolutely nothing to do in this town, but half price apps". Give them something to do other than wanting to go "partying". And how about at the school levels, speak more about drugs and the effects. Show the true realistic statistics on overdose. Something needs to be done and fast! I know too many people who have lost a loved one.
htownlifer I lost an extremely close friend a couple months back to this horrific epidemic! He was a genuine sole but unfortunately his addiction was far too overpowering for his mind to overcome! He was the type of person that would do anything for anyone but the sad realization came when he could help anyone but could not help himself! This is something that HAS to stop before it has begun or it's too late! I feel that is has to be taught at home and continued in school! IT has to be drilled in before they can get "access" to it! I feel when taught in school it should not be classified along with marijuana, because now in countless states it is becoming legal! So now you are telling the kids essentially it's the same type of drug! No it's far far far from the same, it needs to be in a class of its own! It's deadly!!! You don't know if it will be the first time you use, second or third but eventually it will get you! I feel maybe having a "recovering" addict come in and speak to the schools about everything they lost and all the people they lost to this disease might help, and if they bring before and after pics it might be enough for someone to think "no way I'm not doing that"
Sorry for the long post but this subject hits way to close to my heart!
Gil It's not just high schoolers. There's plenty of heroin addicts walking the streets of Hackettstown who aren't in high school.
OldskoolAgreed Oldskool, but I think the OP was more saying that it has to be stopped at high school level before there are more addicted adults!
59,000-65,000 people died in 2016 from drug use. You do the math, a town of about 10,000 people like ours loses 2 people every year from it.
Metsman The opioid epidemic is well documented and has infiltrated every corner of every town in America. The numbers are staggering. Education and intervention, as well as support from family, school, church, friends, healthcare workers ,counselors etc, is paramount in attempting to have a reversal in the wide spread use. It's not just young people using as prescription pain killers are in the group as well. It is cheap, easy to find and not just used in a needle form making the initial experience less foreboding I guess.
Heroin and opioids has taken too many lives and has destroyed countless families. I hope someday the tide turns and use diminishes.
Greg ConcernedMotherof5, not trying to be mean or a Jerk, but your comments are part of the the problem. How did it inflitrate our town?? Why are so many kids using it??? It is hard for me to imagine how kids from normal surburban life end up with needles in their arms on the street.
Too many Parents believe they live in "No Crime Town USA" and because they live in "suburban life" and not the inner city their kids are safe from drugs. Drugs are in EVERY town and EVERY walk of life. See the numbers Metsman posted and that alone will tell you its way more than a Hackettstown problem. While you nor anyone else here on HL can solve the problem, you can at least stop/help 5
Just stay aware. We as parents can only educate our kids, but we can't be with them 24/7/365 Good Luck to you
Clyde Potts No town is immune.
It's so easy to point blame on where we live, but truly it's a nationwide epidemic from the poorest of towns to the richest.
And it's not just heroin. Medicine cabinets are the true gateway to such addictions as is ease of access.
@hlifer: I whole-heartedly agree that this town needs more outlets such as a YMCA or bowling alley. Something. Anything. It would be interesting to see research on drug usage among teens in towns that offer better outlets. But something tells me it might be the same.
iRun are you saying 50 "young persons" a year in Hackettstown are dying from drug overdoses? I find that hard to believe.
CBGB Young people sheltered, heck they don't even put the garbage out or shovel the driveways. Then they graduate HS or College and see it is tough and 50 years of work ahead before retirement. Many choose the slacker alternative...
iJay So we identified a drug problem, yet we don't want to be part of the solution
We shudder at the thought of nearby rehabilitation facilities because "they will attract addicts from the city who will escape."
Newflash: You could be living next door to an addict. Heck, I was robbed by one a few years back in my "precious gated bubble."
Hackettstown High School has about 900 students, that would be about 20% of students a year dying of heroin overdose.
This is a mental health issue. The drugs are simply what some people use to self medicate. Heroin it's the current drug of choice. When I was in high school I knew plenty of teenagers who drank alcoholically, heroin just wasn't a choice, thankfully.
The drugs aren't as big of a problem as some people's mental and emotional conditions WHEN THEY ARE SOBER, which they feel compelled to self medicate.
We grew up in the area my sister's and I all went through the school. Lived in a beautiful home and went to colleges. My sister decided to try heroin at age 26 when life was getting a bit tough. Now she is a full blown addict. Her supply is all over this town.
Htown That is a vast oversimplification, CommonSense. The majority of people who use heroin in Hackettstown (and elsewhere) are not self-medicating a mental disorder.
It would be so informative if a survey of the local drug users could be done. Really, not kidding - as psychology students we undertook such seemingly difficult surveys as part of our coursework. To find out why they started using, and how to prevent others from starting-- the users themselves would truly be the best sources of information. The rest of us can only guess.
Rebecka I have a close friend whose daughter is addicted. She told her that it's cheaper than pot ($5.00 a bag) and it's a longer and stronger high. You can become addicted as soon as the first hit. It's also a very difficult addiction to overcome. Don't be in denial. Look at ALL the police reports all over our county. It's a horrifying epidemic. And if you want a little more accurate picture....check out the narcan saves too....it will overwhelm you when you put it all together.
Livelifeboldly... Maybe not self-medicating a mental disorder, but self-medicating something, no?
Why do people start using? Based on my experience with a heroin user (going back to pre-"epidemic" times), it certainly wasn't because he was happy, satisfied, and just looking for the next fun time. Back then, it certainly wasn't because it was "cool." It was hard to come by then, not so much now. I think he was looking to numb something within himself - maybe not a mental disorder, but he was looking to medicate something.
I can't ask him, because he's been dead over 30 years now.
Aquarius According to www.countyhealthrankings.org, Warren County NJ has had 53 overdose deaths so far in 2017..... it's so sad.
@Livelifeboldly Yes - the affordability of heroin these days is definitely a factor in the epidemic! I've heard that many times. Addicts have told me that they couldn't get pain pills from their doctor any more (many started out with legitimate physical pain issues), so they went to buy pills on the street, only to find that heroin was cheaper. So they simply switched to heroin.
Doctors for many years were part of the problem (writing too many opiates without warning patients of risk of addiction). New Rx laws are putting the brakes on that, thankfully. That should at least slow the number of people who become newly addicted.
If you are concerned as you seem, then DO something! It is so easy to say we want something and there is a problem, but anyone can do that. If you think a Y would help, then find some friends and start something going. Have your kid serve on the rescue squad or fire department - bring them in to a morgue - that is real.
acl1976 It is simple Rebecca. The very simple motivation of any drug user is to change the way they feel.
There are a bunch of people that NEVER feel like everything is ok. And not because of any external reason. The problem centers in their mind. They do get that sense of ease and comfort when high though and that's what they are chasing.
Just because there may not be an official disorder for 'completely unable to feel good sober' doesn't mean it's not an actual thing. We are still in the infancy of mental health study. You must know that if you studied psychology.
I'm not saying smart drug laws and enforcement have their place - they absolutely do, but they do nothing to help the people who are suffering mentally, sober or not, through no fault of their own. They were born that way.
So now some clown has put an ad for an online "pharmacy" in the "Other" classified Titled "Adderall, ritalin, rophynol..."
In the body of the ad it states:
"Buy Roxy30mg, Xanax 2mg, Morphine 30mg, Oxycodone, Dilaudid, Opana, Subutex, Valium"
Many of the opiods, especially Morphine, Oxy & Dilaudid are THE premier gateway drugs that often end in heroin usage.
I hope the moderator removes this ad immediately. I am purposefully leaving out the website name because it's inappropriate to the discussion.
Phil D. This epidemic is so scary. People have noted educating in school and at home, which is true, but It has to start young. Think about it...what do you see on tv every other commercial? An advertisement for a pill to make you feel better. They even use cartoon sketches of someone sad then become happy taking a pill. Very young children see these commercials. Why do drug companies have to advertise prescription drugs to the public? Those advertisements should be exclusive to the doctors who prescribe. Not like we can walk into a pharmacy and purchase them. Imo this is a part of the problem too, take a pill it will make u feel better being advertised at all times of the day and channels. There are so many factors that that feed into the epidemic. Hard to narrow down to one cause.
Justsayin2 Thats a good point, Justsayin2 . There is no one cause. You can't advertise cigarettes on TV. Why not drugs also.
Ho, thats right. Nobody has as much money as the Pharmaceutical Companies to buy the politicians.
Money, the root of all evil.
Old Gent It's not boredom in Hackettstown. Look at Bon Jovis daughter Stephanie. She had an opiod problem and had access to many activities. I agree with iJay. Kids have no expectations . They don't know how to feel self soothing gratification because they are all spoiled rotten. Parents aren't parents anymore. They want to be their children's friend and I believe are afraid of not fitting in with their children.
Happymom Many want to create the next Facebook in two weeks by stealing someone else's idea and have Billions... or at least Millions. When I grew up people strived to be a professional or a skilled blue collar worker. Today it is just... mush. A co-worker's son resigned from his job of 2 years (first job after college) and will supposedly be traveling Europe but he is just lying around relaxing for now. And when he comes back he wants to go to graduate school. Ok, but he really doesn't have any experience to go with that degree. I was told he didn't like get bossed around and that he will be a CEO type (not room for everyone's baby to get a chief job) in the future. Ok, if he makes it...
One way to help the problem? Expand the death penalty. Those producing, dealing or caught with large quantities with intent to distribute should all be put to death. If you don't value the lives of others, we shouldn't value yours.
btownguy I agree completely, Justsayin2. Excellent point. But the pharma lobby in DC must be one of the most well-funded industries respresented. They would fight a ban on television commercials tooth and nail.
IJay - the addiction epidemic spans all age groups. This is not a "young person" issue.
Commonsense - if it were simple, the problem would have been solved already.
I don't think this is merely a drug problem; I think the prevalence of addiction is a symptom of our ill culture. JMHO.
Rebecca you are confusing simple with easy.
I agree it's not a drug problem, to the addicts. Drugs are their solution to a problem they can't fix.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Btown guy....never would happen. Be realistic. That's part of the problem... people coming up with dumb solutions. Get rid of them, lock them up...killem....how about we think about a true strategy to address the issue?
Once again, a complex issue uses branding in the bundling of a bunch of similar yet different things into a single opioid epidemic. Makes for easier funding packages.
The Heroin epidemic is different to a prescription pill epidemic which is both a legal prescription abuse and illegal abuse epidemic. All different but connectected; not necessarily stemming from the same causes, same demographics, and rehabilitation plans. Add this all up to get a death rate greater than the crack epidemic. When taken apart, you get a number of different stories.
Players in this epidemic are important too. Doctors trying to manage pain. Mexican cartels looking to export as much Heroin as they can, illegal drug makers cooking up fentanyl both here and abroad. The people caught in the middle: pain sufferers, damaged people looking for a high, kids looking for kicks, --- many different groups, many different reasons.
In the five years up to 2012, pain did not increase in America but legal opioid use increased 400%. Legal. So did abuse and death tolls. There appears to be a legal need that we ignored or treated alternatively before. But who are the people using these legal drugs: kids? Somewhat. inner city gang bangers. No. It's mostly 40-year old and above, more likely women, whites. Down stream from them are kids copping parent's pills for kicks opening a potential heroin gateway. NJ has one of the lower rates of opioid prescription rates between the states, like half of that of either NC or SC which explains why NJ folks migrating there are so, so happy :>(
So what has happened here is that DRs have decided that drugs are useful in treating chronic pain. Cool. Gotta tell you, I love them. Dangerous yes, helpful OMG yes. Without them I would be a useless drunk. Downstream from Mother's little helpers are Mother's little cabinet crawlers or kids swiping pills for kicks. In seeing the epidemic, DRs are prescribing less pills more carefully since 2010 but still way more than the 1990's when we just managed pain in other ways. Of course, the tightening of legal pill supply has some users moving to heroin including kids looking for kicks who find it harder to cop a few pills from Mom or Dad.
In the illegal pill business, most pills are from legal sources just being passed about tween friends. That does not mean that the illegal pill mfg. business is not booming and to make matters worse, the death toll from home-made pills is way, way higher than legal pills or even heroin (I think). These guys are making death Might as well sniff glue, it's safer.
And then there's the heroin where Mexican cartels are cramming the stuff down our throats. Basically a hit of heroin costs the price of a pack of cigarettes. Mexican cartels have increased supply and priced it against oxycodone to take over addicted America. So ample supply and our cheapest price in years --- you do the addict math. So while the usual inner city story still exists, it's being eclipsed by a white suburban group of thrill seekers and those moving on from the legal pain killer experience. It's that second demographic where the growth market is. It is not mostly high school kids, the average is still above 30 years old with first timers mostly over 18.
Heroin use and deaths are somewhat static with the opioid death increase coming from illegal and legal pill popping. However, as pills get more restrictive, some will seek the illegal heroin alternative to fill existing addictions.
So lots of supply, different suppliers, legal and illegal. Lots of consumption by very different classes of consumer, legal and illegal. As legal becomes more restrictive, illegal will increase. We have been here before with the crack epidemic and the answer should be similar ---- a multi-prong attack, education, and treatment package to change the trend. Education for long term effect since many addiction seeds are planted in high school whether by usage or just by experimentation (med cab cruising) as a gateway not triggered till later in life. But it's more than just the kids --- we need to educate doctors to educate parents on the dangers and how to manage a medicine cabinet. And its just not the bully pulpit but msm, Hollywood, everyone needs to join the message. That's the long term play which won't produce results for years. Then destigmatized treatment for anyone who needs to get them off the stuff.
And attack with a focus on the source. Take Mexico out of business. Crack down on fentanyl labs, these are poison factories. This will dry the dealers on the street up so let's stop the plants from being grown, the factories from being built, and destroy the distribution paths to America.
We need a broad approach that covers all the sources, all the demographics, with education, rehabilitation, combined with incarceration and supply destruction.
strangerdanger I pretty much lay it at the parents feet.
Must, must be involved with children's routine on a daily basis.
Can't ship them off to school 5 days a week, ) 6 hours a day for 9 months of the year and expect the school to raise them for you.
Keep them busy- stay on them- reward good behavior and correct bad- help them develop an interest- "water them" and they'll grow.
Also----WORK ETHIC
Stymie Unfortunately it has reached every state, county and community in America. It has even crossed every social strata. It's become epidemic among the ultra wealthy, so suddenly they've decided to take action by calling for the need to address a national opioid epidemic.
What bothers me greatly? Fifty plus years ago when it was a problem within the slums of the cities......... NOBODY CARED.
fire251 Just curious, but how can killing those who supply be helpful at all? There's a demand, thus there will ~always~ be someone to provide the supply. Always. Death-penalty thinking is on the wrong side of the problem imo. If you disagree with that view I'd ask you to look up how long our official "war on drugs" has been going on, as well as the huge amount of $$$ that's already been spent on the aggression side of things, with little (dare I say nothing) to show for it other than overly-high incarceration rates.
IMO Rebecka is right. This is a societal issue and must be addressed on the users side, not the other way around.
Look at all the mainstream stimulus that we are all subjected to on a daily basis: TV, movies, and music that all present a non-real picture that some think ~is~ real, or at least something to aspire to. Stop supporting the nonsensical media with your dollars. Money in this case drives everything. Don't support it.
Oh, and lead by example!
justintime Fire251, couldn't agree with you more, excellent post and Stymie, I couldn't have said it better myself. I recall a meeting run by the Hackettstown Police awhile back to educate parents on the drug situation in town, very low turnout if I remember correctly. Educate yourself about the issue, lose the "not my kid" mentality. It could be any of our kids. My brother died from drugs in 1974, 3 kids raised with the same parents, in the same home. We were loved and nurtured the same, my brother's life took a turn that he could never recover from no matter how much my parents tried. It happens.
Bessie Not exactly a new problem. My middle son turned 30 this week. Since he graduated from HHS we have been to three funerals for "kids" he grew up with. All heroin, several have also been survived overdoses and been to rehab.
I grew up in Roxbury, just a few miles east of here. Several "kids" I knew growing up died of overdoses. My wive went to Mount Olive HS, two of her classmates, that we know of had overdoses (one is still with us and is clean for a few decades now).
Addiction is a serious problem, and it is not limited to heroin. Alcohol takes more lives than heroin still.
Punishing the victims, doesn't work. I don't have an answer but those demanding harsher punishment should know that Nancy Regans Just Say No was a miserable failure, almost as bad as Nixon's war on Drugs and the Clinton DARE fiasco.
The only place that has made any inroads is Amsterdam, and they did it by legalizing. Not sure that is a great idea, but it appears to have worked much better than criminalizing it.
Agust Would be amazing if hackettstown could become "stigma free" there are other towns like Sparta implementing this initiative now....
IF, and I don't know, but if Amsterdam has made inroads re legalization, then I might suggest it's partly due to their sin-island status. When they first began, the streets during the weekend were gridlocked with German plates. Funny part was their was very little scuffles due to overcrowding. Go figure.
Similarly, the pot-free states enjoy the extra benefits of island status as a new brand of tourism is invented. ("Gee, what did you do during your summer vacation" "Don't know mannnnnn, don't know."
Education, rehabilitation, and focused attack on the sources, i.e. ---> Mexican Cartels might be the best cure.
I have absolutely no sympathy nor feel sorry whatsoever for a person who chooses to waste their life with drug addiction. It was a choice they made, not a disease. I feel sorry for a child who is dying of cancer that did nothing wrong to deserve a life of suffering. Drug addicts can burn in hell for all i care. Help the little ones who does not understand why they have to go through life struggling to live.
People suck. And all the money to support drug abusers on welfare and disability should be dealt with accordingly. This society should not be helping those who made bad life choices. Drug addiction or abuse is NOT a disease, its a choice!
A big problem is people refusing to report their friends/family/coworkers to the police.
If you know ANYONE who uses, sells, buys, transports drugs, whether it be meth or marijuana, you NEED to call the police immediately. If not, you are putting them and the community at risk. I reported two of my friends in high school because they had mentioned to me they were going to a party where marijuana was going to be smoked.
1988LJ not trying to minimize the horrors of drug addiction, but sometimes i think our schools have a strange approach to the topic and with that thought in mind i think this lady makes some good points, the goal is not to keep kids drugs free, the goal is to drive moms crazy :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MxqJhEfXCo
BrotherDog "I reported two of my friends in high school because they had mentioned to me they were going to a party where marijuana was going to be smoked."
Oh man.....that is just so sad.
i think the schools could more than they do to help, but it starts at home with involved and caring families, and even then otherwise good kids can get in over their heads very quickly.
i think the schools should do more than this, because it's just not working:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh7l8dx-h8M
JRT When HHS had a lockdown and Locker check last Spring the first comments were from Parents saying their Child's right were violated.... I talked to Families and students that said just bring it on, nothing to hide and glad to see if any are exposed... Then I will ask again WHY did HHS eliminate the FFA program ?...Of course budget cuts..Teachers are worth their weight in gold...Can' t say same for those paid the big bucks to be the Super.. .glad he is moving on but his decisions are still effecting our students....
Talk to young adults now that were in FFA at HHS 10-15 yrs ago. They have excelled , own their own landscaping business'....Florist shops, are Farming, mechanics etc. Thanks for keeping their interest in HS with the FFA.
Now the kids with so much interest in those vocations have been put in a "Sculpher" class..are you kidding me ?....Who came up with this idea ? A student so interested in pulling apart Farm equipment, curious in soils and Land, Livestock is going to sit and make a pot...?
Jo We had auto mechanics in HS when I was a kid and the boys were all busy taking apart cars in their driveway and saving every penny for the hottest new carburetor or loudest muffler to put on their souped up Pinto, Camaro or Mustang to spend money on drugs. We also had "strings" in band, so the "cool kids" would take guitar or drums and spent the weekends trying desperately to get their bands together for practice in one of their basements to ultimately play at some local dive. Many of the girls tried their hand at vocals. We also rollerskated (not cool anymore I guess). Yeah, some of the kids smoked some pot (I even tried it a few times, not my thing, stuck to the beer keg, lol!).
Now the kids are alone in their bedrooms all weekend shooting heroin to just get by. It's such a tragedy.
Heidi Lets not put all the blame on the Dealers nor the Mexican Cartels as some of you want to do. A Dealer is ONLY successful if he/she has customers. Just like a restaurant, no customers it shuts down. But as long as there are customers, there will be dealers.
Drugs are an ESCAPE. Life isn't easy but one has to just plow ahead. Fridays and Saturdays are for a little relaxation via beer, wine, etc. But one has to have discipline not to get drunk M-F, show up to work sober, etc...
So iJay makes a distinction between escape and relaxation. I suppose that the millions of people prescribed opioids due to chronic pain fall into one of these categories? And I suppose the kids from broken homes or simply struggling to make sense of a difficult world who self medicate are weak and deserving of no sympathy or help? Sorry, that's not enough of an answer.
Yankeefan People who OD (even once) should be put in Mandatory Inpatient Rehab for 2 years.
Same for Anyone caught with opiates/paraphernalia/empty bags.
This could save them, AND the dealers would lose their customers, and leave.
Lili Lili, I would imagine that rational humans are thrilled that you are in no way a decision maker or even an influencer.
+1000000 Yankeefan. Chronic pain patients, who have been on the same regimen, for many years, are now getting their medications taken away, because they are getting lumped into the "opiate epidemic". Some young kid, OD's and fragile, disabled and elderly people have to suffer, because of it. That's just plain cruel. Chris Christie and his cronies, just happen to be partners and owners of rehab centers. Alcohol is the number one gateway drug, is highly addictive, causes seizures and many more alcohol related deaths, than legally prescribed medications.... but that's what they are culling. Alcohol doesn't even have to say "may be habit forming", on the bottle. I think our country should see how other countries tackled this problem, compassionately and successfully.
sparksjbc1964 Hey, with the millennials record numbers that are living at home and many are not working, what do you think happens to many that live with the parents and don't work? Short slip to heavy chronic drug abuse...
Sparks - I know more than one actual chronic pain patient, and they are not having any issues getting opiate meds. The cases just have to be thoroughly documented, and docs just can't write them as liberally as they used to. The new regulations are a good thing.
Which rehab does Christie partially own? As I understand it, he did a lot of reaching out to established rehabs and addiction doctors to seek advice on curbing the opiate/opioid addiction epidemic after he was elected. Some of the experts are now his advisors, but I certainly wouldn't call him his "cronies." If you are saying that Christie stands to benefit financially from the new regulations, please tell me how, as this is the first I've heard of it.
Rebecca....I know many patients who were on xanax and opiates, for years, trying to mentally deal with ongoing pain, are now getting the xanax taken away. I can't post links, however, if you google the stuff I talked about, you'll find it. Chronic pain patients have a high tolerance and the combo of both, is sometimes needed. They cannot have both, because some kid, with no tolerance at all, mixed the two, and OD'd. So, yes. Certain medications are being taken away from patients, by the end of the year. Alcohol kills more people. Why doesn't that carry any weight?
I'm not denying there's a heroin problem. It killed several people we know. Just saying I do see a lot of propaganda attacking prescription drugs more than the real criminals...the heroin dealers... not the consumer.
Doctors and patients should be able to work together, regarding treatment, without both doctor and patient, having interference, and being treated like a criminal. They have so many security procedures in place, now. No one can doctor shop for meds. Every script is in a central data base. The heroin epidemic, for which the dealers don't have to worry about a computer keeping track of their sales, should be kept separated from legitimate pain patients. I agree, as I'm sure most doctors would, that opiates and benzodiazepines shouldn't be handed out like candy...and it's not, however, a doctor should be able to do what's necessary, to treat their patients, according to their individual needs. The new laws, that went into effect, this year, has both doctors and patients changing medical regimens, that were in place for years, because of the "heroin epidemic". The "oxycontin express", happened years ago, thus putting all these security measures in place. And you're right... it is a good thing, but I thought it was to protect legitimate patients, not hurt them, as well, because others take heroin. Completely different scenarios, all lumped into one. Well... the patients I know, never took heroin, and are getting punished for it.
Had a procedure; there was pain. Needed refill on weekend; must see DR in person to get script, can not be called in: it's the law. Live with it or go to ER. That was a long week end.
Had a pain, went to orthopedic. He called script in, it's the law. But he forgot and now script was needed after office hours. On call DR had no issue confirming and calling it in whilst I self-medicated at Czig with a few flights of fancy.
Yeah, tightening laws provides consistent results to end drug abuse without increasing pain for legitimate users.
Medicine cabinet control begins at home. Opioids today, maybe serotonin reuptake inhibitors tomorrow. Same medicine cabinet in either case. Might as well set up an alcohol monitoring process as well. Kids will be kids. Trust but verify.
Sparks:
The laws that were put into effect were done so to prevent prescription drug abuse. Nothing to do with heroin abuse. It's a very good thing that patients can no longer doctor shop and pharmacy hop because of the centralized database. It sounds like you know quite a bit about the issue. Anyone who has been legitimately prescribed pain meds in the past will continue to get them. The only people I see complaining about the new regulations are controlled-substance-seekers who have been doctor shopping for prescriptions, and are now being curtailed.
I'm surprised you know "many patients" who are prescribed both Xanax and Opiates for pain. I find that hard to believe. Xanax is not prescribed for pain, nor dealing with a "high tolerance" of opiates. It's only for anxiety and panic disorders. Furthermore, it's addictive and one can become physically dependent. (Someone with a large Xanax habit would need to be medically detoxed.)
Which rehab does Christie have ownership in? Just curious because I follow the issue and didn't know this.
https://www.centeronaddiction.org/what-addiction/addiction-disease
I love all these comments, but when a drug rehab wanted to move to Green where was all the support?.
Addiction cannot be a hidden issue, I have worked in a treatment facility for over 20 years and I am amazed that still people dont understand the disease of addiction.
Keep kids busy..ok what about the parents that everytime the kids say ouch you run them to the doctors and demand a script?
Look in your medicine cabinets..how many prescriptions do you have? Do you look at the over the counter items also? Do you look at your mouthwash to see the alcohol content?
Do you have any of these at home?
Some commonly abused OTC medications include:
Cough medicines (Dextromethorphan, or DXM)
Cold medicines (Pseudoephedrine)
Motion sickness pills (Dimenhydrinate)
Pain relievers (Acetaminophen)
Wake up people it can happen to anyone at anytime.
Hackettstown wife I had a dinner with friends about 2 months ago .
Both husbands-Doctors.
Both wives- Nurses.
Doctors didn't have much to say on the subject- but the wives- both Nurses, had incredible stories of patient drug abuse, contrived maladies, prescription shopping- they both welcomed the new tracking system and said it would do much good.
Personally, I don't believe that alcoholism or drug addictions are genetically predetermined- maybe the depression one experiences is what drives one to substance abuse.
Anyone that repeatedly puts a needle in their arm and injects a foreign- unknown substance into their body is messed up mentally- even before the addiction takes hold.
JMHO
There is such a huge lag between what the general public knows and the scientific advancements made in the study of addiction. It's shocking and sad, really.
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder.
Until the general public gets a grasp of what we are actually dealing with, it will be difficult to make an inroads into solving the issue. People's misconceptions about addiction are part of the problem.
People can be addicted to food and are, just see the numbers of the obese. Many can still work but some go down the crutch route. Like many things, but much more difficult, is to consciously strive not to do whatever demon tempts you; and then enough time passes when it is no longer desirable.
Some statistics, like 50% of the chronically unemployed abuse drugs should be eye openers. Get to work, even volunteer. Have responsibility to be at a place and be sober.
I remember some Summers spent on relative farms in the Midwest when young. No abuse or you might get your arm torn off near farm equipment. No joke, and today kids can't even take the garbage out, shovel the driveway, mow the lawn, or even clean their room/make their bed.
A parent's job is to prepare their children for life- Independence and self suffiency.
If the kid is in the basement all day playing computer games- sitting in front of a keyboard constantly, texting 300 times a day- not participating in after school activities that teach team building or cooperation and communication (VERBAL) or not working a part time job - you are failing as a parent.
YOU DO NOT GET DO OVERS.
The time passes quickly- Suck it up and PARENT.
Folks,
Don't even try drugs and you won't get addicted...it's that's easy. If you try it, you could get hooked.
Busy bees don't have time for drugs. Plenty of time on hand leads the mind and body to wander...
"If the kid is in the basement all day playing computer games- sitting in front of a keyboard constantly, texting 300 times a day- not participating in after school activities that teach team building or cooperation and communication (VERBAL) or not working a part time job - you are failing as a parent."
Amazingly, the same thing was said to Bill Gate's parents about Bill's reclusive nature........
My kids do a lot a keyboarding --- sure, helped in college. Were not active joiners and certainly texted more than that. Of course they make far fewer voice calls than previous generations. They cooperate and communicate with teams on a global basis (often via keyboard), have top paying jobs, take part in charitable efforts (often by keyboard), do not and have never had drug problems although I am sure they have tried some, and as far as anyone call tell, are valuable assets to our society.and culture.
And then there's the yuge crowd of joiners who fall prey to the peer pressure joining the drug scene too. Probably for the many of the same reasons kids join other clubs n cliques.
There's lots of grey out there stymie, not everything is black n white flat answers.
I have read all the comments.Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. One thing for sure there is no instant solution.There are so many individuals suffering with their addiction. I have come to realize that this problem is not only the worry of the parents but the children to.There is so much peer pressure. Sometimes they fear sharing their fears.We all started at the beginning,some took a different avenue. Our hopes are to find the WHY? A lot of these individuals with additions do not have the means to receive or afford counseling. Maybe they feel that no one cares. I certainly do not have the answers. Blaming this one or that one isn't going to make it better. Having places for these individuals to go to for activities may not be the answer. How can they go if they feel everyone is against them. Unless we have or had family or friends with this addiction I would think it would be hard to feel their physical or emotional pain. One thing for sure no matter what community we live in we want it to be safe for everyone.
Stranger- exceptions to every situation.
Just feel that being out and about, involved in the ebb and flow of daily life {outside, in the fresh air and sunshine}- stimulated-involved-"learning human nature"- will greatly increase one's chances of successfully being able to navigate through life.
I'm sure we all fell off of our bicycles before we learned to master them- just a microcosm of life.
To learn how to recover from failure-one must experience failure.
"
Just have to make another comment..addiction is not limited to the young. We have treated patients from 18 to 80. If you think its heartbreaking to see a parent bring their 18 to 25 year old in to treatment, its worse sering a 70 year old parent bringing their 40 to 50 year old child in.
Addiction is a family disease...no matter which way it goes.
This thread iss SOOO heavy for me to be trying to gather my thoughts on the subject at 5 a.m.....
I honestly have NO idea how to solve the problem.....
If ONLY there were an easy answer.......OR if only ALL the answers on this post would work.......it would be so much easier then I think it really is..or it would be done.
I know one of the things I've done with my children, from almost day one has been honest, probably more honest then some would agree with about my earlier choices in life and the concequences that followed.
I don't know if it's going to work.......I can only, in anything I do, is share my experiences both good and bad.......with them and then pray that we have the kind of relationship that will enable me to trust that either they will make the right choices or come to me with anything that goes on in their lives OR I will see those changes early on if a problem starts to arise......and be there for them.
How can someone make an educated decision if they don't know the HONEST TRUTH about it?????
littlelu "To learn how to recover from failure-one must experience failure."
Best bit of advice so far IMO.
Justintime........I like that..... I've often said....if you don't experience tears...how will you appreciate the smiles. :)
Happiness cannot occur in isolation, yes you need sadness to provide the difference in perspective. That being said, we are all organic beings coming from other organic beings. Things will not go 100% well so we have plenty of opportunity for sadness; don't ask for it as it will come from time to time.
Get high on life. Push yourself a little sometimes, beyond your comfort zone.
The high school is infested with drugs. It has got progressively worse since about 1993. The teachers are also not much better, and this only contributes to the epidemic. Unfortunately I fear it will continue to get worse. Parents need to watch their children's friends closely and intervene as soon as they suspect a problem.
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