Spike in overdoses

[BugI02]

Anyone else seeing more people really effed up or overdosing lately? I'm starting to wonder if theres some bad (like worse than normal) dope going around I've dealt with 3 ODs in less than a week and im seeing more people walking around town that look like extras from the walking dead I keep narcan handy in my vehicle and office and went through my whole stash and had to call the peer support group in town to get a whole sack of extras. One of the ODs was the worst (and honestly mad me laugh the most as bad as that sounds) I've ever dealt with. The guy made me really fight to keep him alive then decided to rise from the dead and speak jibberish to the emts. I'm getting really burnt out and have been on edge all week.

Keep an eye out for this. High potential for addiction, very bad withdrawal and requires higher doses of Narcan to counteract an overdose. Does not show up on most drug scans and is being sold as a dietary supplement

Google Tianeptine to see just how many places online are selling it. Also being promoted as something to take to help break an existing opined addiction. also being produced in bulk by amoral Chinese labs for sale to the west. Presence in overdose deaths increasing exponentially

An Illegal Dietary Supplement Named Tianeptine Is Being Sold to Americans—and the FDA Knows It - Consumer Reports

Tianeptine, an illegal dietary supplement not approved for use in the U.S., has been linked to hundreds of reports of harm, including overdoses and deaths. Consumer Reports says the FDA is aware tianeptine is being sold.

www.consumerreports.org

 

[BugI02]

Intoxication nation.

We have allowed the daily buzz to become the answer to dealing with life's routine challenges.

Maybe one day, we as a society will learn that chemical attitude adjustment is a poor idea?

In the meantime, this will get worse before it gets better. "Legal marijuana" is an indicator of where we are on this. Hang on for the ride...


.

But ... but ... if I don't support intoxication for its own ends, INGO tells me I hate freedom

 

[ReverendEK]

Is it natural selection at work or a sign of hard times though. That’s the real question. These people are looking for their escape but they end up finding it at the end of your fingertips. Thanks for what you first responders go through to keep people literally put together.

 

[stocknup]

If they keep killing their customers or scaring them off of it, it's bad business for the bottom line.

That`s the crazy part that I don`t understand .........
There is enough reported OD deaths due to more concentrated doses , but it doesn`t seem to stop or scare those that do it ?

 

[Keith_Indy]

Doesn't sound like dusting weed with fentanyl would actually do anything.

More likely, if the police test a bag for substances, fentanyl could show because the dealer also deals with that, or things that contain fentanyl and it is incidental transfer. If a person tests for THC and fentanyl, they most likely took something containing it, and smoked/vaped/ate something with THC.

The Pernicious Myth of Fentanyl-Laced Cannabis

Despite periodic media outcry, there's no evidence that this happens. Even if it did, the practicalities of ingestion would limit any danger.

filtermag.org

In the case of cannabis flower, smoking involves loading the material into a pipe or roll paper, lighting it on fire, and inhaling the smoke. Burning fentanyl with flame destroys it, so even if someone smoked cannabis contaminated with fentanyl, the fentanyl would not be active in the smoke. In fact, burning drugs in an incinerator is a common way to dispose of them, both for prescription medications and for illegal drugs seized by law enforcement.

 

[freekforge]

Problem is an od resulting in death means a spike in sales for the dealer from the true junkies. The folks that just dabble or are just wanting a little something might be scared off but not the guy that's chasing highs all day.

What really sucks is I'm a dad now so I see the 44y/o regular user as my 2 year old son. It's easy to talk **** and say you'll let them die but when the time comes I give it my all. I'll still laugh and joke about it all though.

Not sure how true it is but I've been told you can order fentanyl from China for $450 and have it at your door in a couple days and turn that into several thousand dollars.

I've been trained with a bag valve mask so I think I might buy one to throw in my med bag. Using a mask and 1way valve works great but i want some buffer space just in case they projectile vomit or decide to fight.

For anyone that finds an od that doesn't have narcan if you catch it early enough studies are showing that you may be able to stimulate the person enough to have enough breaths to keep the blood somewhat oxygenated. You can do this with a sternum rub with your closed fist, a knuckle rub on the top lip and pinching the back of the arm fairly hard.

 

[CHCRandy]

This is from DEA in like 2017, just shows how much money is in this.

https://content.govdelivery.com/att..._attachments/590360/fentanyl+pills+report.pdf

There are plenty of laws which could apply, but there are evidence problems and it's difficult to prosecute.

Exactly. Our State law is useless, short of a confession or if they happen to have texts that is incriminating(and even that is iffy). The word "knowingly" kind of makes it very hard to prosecute, so I have been told? I have been trying to get our Prosecutors to start including wording in any plea agreements for drug offenders who accept a plea, that could make prosecution easier, if it happens in the future......but not had much luck. And trying to get lawmakers to reword the law is like pissing into a hurricane wind without getting wet.

I have learned the Federal Government has much better luck prosecuting these cases. I will not even try to pretend to understand it fully, but I guess Federal Law has something such as Implied Malice? I have tried learning why that matters, and have yet to be able to understand it.

 

[JettaKnight]

That`s the crazy part that I don`t understand .........
There is enough reported OD deaths due to more concentrated doses , but it doesn`t seem to stop or scare those that do it ?

Sometimes getting that next high is all that matters in life.


The irony is that there's no escaping the thing that you thought you could use to escape life's problems.



Since this is the internet, I'll just blindly say that I assume the deaths are do to a lot of people with nothing to do, and a lot of drug centers being closed during the pandemic.

 

[Jaybird1980]

That`s the crazy part that I don`t understand .........
There is enough reported OD deaths due to more concentrated doses , but it doesn`t seem to stop or scare those that do it ?

I only knew one hardcore addict and chasing the most dangerous thing is what they do. ODing didn't scare him one but. If he heard of a "hot batch" that is what he was seeking out.

 

[Hoosierdood]

This all started with the medical industry. Back in the 80’s we started prescribing drugs for ADHD and other disorders. Not to say that some people didn’t need medicated, but doctors were throwing these drugs at every kid who couldn’t sit still for 30 minutes. They turned them all into zombies because parents didn’t want to deal with an active kid.

Now those kids are grown and medicating their own kids because they think it’s normal. We have raised an entire generation who doesn’t know how to cope with the real world without being medicated. We overprescribe Adderal and Xanax and people eat it like it’s candy. Millions of people don’t know what it would be like to live a day without pain meds. And doctors just keep prescribing drugs to overcome what should be considered normal behavior. Any “health issue” that they encounter just gets piles of drugs thrown at it.

Eventually, our over medicated society looks for new ways to medicate. Whether weed, heroin, meth, or any other drug. The only way this cycle ends is in death.

 

[Route 45]

This all started with the medical industry. Back in the 80’s we started prescribing drugs for ADHD and other disorders. Not to say that some people didn’t need medicated, but doctors were throwing these drugs at every kid who couldn’t sit still for 30 minutes. They turned them all into zombies because parents didn’t want to deal with an active kid.

Now those kids are grown and medicating their own kids because they think it’s normal. We have raised an entire generation who doesn’t know how to cope with the real world without being medicated. We overprescribe Adderal and Xanax and people eat it like it’s candy. Millions of people don’t know what it would be like to live a day without pain meds. And doctors just keep prescribing drugs to overcome what should be considered normal behavior. Any “health issue” that they encounter just gets piles of drugs thrown at it.

Eventually, our over medicated society looks for new ways to medicate. Whether weed, heroin, meth, or any other drug. The only way this cycle ends is in death.

I find it interesting that all of the whining and gnashing of teeth on INGO about the sad state of affairs today is mostly by the same generation that caused the majority of it.

 

[Hoosierdood]

I find it interesting that all of the whining and gnashing of teeth on INGO about the sad state of affairs today is mostly by the same generation that caused the majority of it.

Some of us loathe our own generation for what they have done. I’m 43 years old, Gen X. While others were telling their kids to “use your words” and sending them to the time out corner, I was spanking mine. I taught them respect, honesty, responsibility, and that you don’t always get a participation trophy. Alas, I realize I’m in the minority. I can’t stop the rest of the world from throwing gasoline on this dumpster fire, but if I can bring a little sensibility to my own little piece of dirt, that makes all the difference.

 

[BugI02]

I find it interesting that all of the whining and gnashing of teeth on INGO about the sad state of affairs today is mostly by the same generation that caused the majority of it.

I find it interesting that all the whining and gnashing of teeth on INGO about how the bad boomers caused all of the world's problems is mostly by the same generation that has yet to solve any problem beyond just marking out a safe space and wanting us to pay off their college loans for them

The world has always and will always have problems. Who are you going to blame when you run out of older generations? Wouldn't it make more sense to fix what you perceive as problems and THEN try to fix blame

 

[JettaKnight]

This all started with the medical industry. Back in the 80’s we started prescribing drugs for ADHD and other disorders. Not to say that some people didn’t need medicated, but doctors were throwing these drugs at every kid who couldn’t sit still for 30 minutes. They turned them all into zombies because parents didn’t want to deal with an active kid.

Now those kids are grown and medicating their own kids because they think it’s normal. We have raised an entire generation who doesn’t know how to cope with the real world without being medicated. We overprescribe Adderal and Xanax and people eat it like it’s candy. Millions of people don’t know what it would be like to live a day without pain meds. And doctors just keep prescribing drugs to overcome what should be considered normal behavior. Any “health issue” that they encounter just gets piles of drugs thrown at it.

Eventually, our over medicated society looks for new ways to medicate. Whether weed, heroin, meth, or any other drug. The only way this cycle ends is in death.

While I don't disagree about medication, I'm leery that it is the cause people are getting hooked on meth.

People were doing a lot of drugs before that for a lot of different reasons.



Although, I have been jonesing for crack ever since my doctor put me on Prilosec...

 

[DoggyDaddy]

This all started with the medical industry. Back in the 80’s we started prescribing drugs for ADHD and other disorders. Not to say that some people didn’t need medicated, but doctors were throwing these drugs at every kid who couldn’t sit still for 30 minutes. They turned them all into zombies because parents didn’t want to deal with an active kid.

Now those kids are grown and medicating their own kids because they think it’s normal. We have raised an entire generation who doesn’t know how to cope with the real world without being medicated. We overprescribe Adderal and Xanax and people eat it like it’s candy. Millions of people don’t know what it would be like to live a day without pain meds. And doctors just keep prescribing drugs to overcome what should be considered normal behavior. Any “health issue” that they encounter just gets piles of drugs thrown at it.

Eventually, our over medicated society looks for new ways to medicate. Whether weed, heroin, meth, or any other drug. The only way this cycle ends is in death.

I think the .gov-described "opioid crisis" has lead to the increase in people seeking out the "pressed pills" on the street. Most doctors have cut WAY back on prescribing opioids. Most immediate care clinics around here have stopped prescribing them altogether. It would be interesting to see what OD rates were prior to the "crack down" on prescribing these drugs. My guess is that it was much lower.

Were people getting addicted? Most certainly. But the drugs were coming from a pharmacy and not from some guy on the street corner, so the purity and safety was much more reliable. The "war on drugs" has lead to more problems than it has solved.

 

[stocknup]

The "war on drugs" has lead to more problems than it has solved.

The war on drugs has made a lot of people rich ...........The real intention from the start .

 

[stocknup]

I find it interesting that all of the whining and gnashing of teeth on INGO about the sad state of affairs today is mostly by the same generation that caused the majority of it.

What`s next .....this generation sues the last for Reparations for ruining their lives ?
When does personal responsibility kick in ........
Where are all the Clinics for "Twisted Arm Syndrome "

 

[Hoosierdood]

While I don't disagree about medication, I'm leery that it is the cause people are getting hooked on meth.

People were doing a lot of drugs before that for a lot of different reasons.



Although, I have been jonesing for crack ever since my doctor put me on Prilosec...

Understood, but hear me out. How many people go through life medicated? Not talking about ibuprophen or Omeprazole (like I take). I’m talking about mind and mood altering drugs. I could name 20 adults right now in my own circle who take medication for ADHD, depression, pain, anxiety, etc. I’m not saying that nobody should be medicated, but that the medication is given too frequently for cases that are unnecessary. When they are used as “happy pills” it is due to people simply not wanting to deal with their environment. It’s about training. We have conditioned our culture to be incapable of dealing with their environment. A large number of people feel the need to dull their senses to be able to survive. I worked a job where over 50% of the employees would smoke weed on break or keep a THC vape in their pocket and hit it in the bathroom all shift. They wouldn’t be able to function if they weren’t high.

All I’m saying is that the medical field has gotten too quick to throw pills at anyone who has difficulty coping with something rather than finding therapeutic treatments. This has led to an over abundance of people who are mentally and chemically dependent on substances to help them do that. I realize it’s not entirely on the medical community, but I can’t ignore the impact they have made.

Tl;dr - People have been conditioned to find a way to escape reality. Some do that through legal prescriptions, and some through illegal drugs.

 

[femurphy77]

I'll say this up front: Yes, I'm an *******.


Bad decisions usually yield bad outcomes. I'd get fired as an emt when I was called to narcan someone I had narcan'ed before.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

People have been conditioned to find a way to escape reality.

I've seen this argument throughout this thread and the marijuana legalization thread(s), but what about people that just enjoy the physical "buzz", whether that's from having a few beers or smoking a little weed or whatever? Not talking about "escaping" anything. Just enjoying the physical feeling? Is that so wrong? Also I'm not talking about doing it at work or getting out and driving while doing so. That's clearly wrong. Talking about the person that's at home, after work or on the weekend, not going anywhere.