Heroin(e)

[miamac]

Just had a chance to watch Heroin(e) tonight on Netflix. It's short, less than 40 mins. I would highly recommend it regardless of your side of the experience, though I think a lot of us here on PTO can identify with or see our own loved ones in the film. I appreciated that the director took a positive focus on an inherently negative subject but didn't tip over into asking viewers to sympathize with addiction but perhaps empathize with fellow human beings.

"Once a bustling industrial town, Huntington, West Virginia has become the epicenter of America’s modern opioid epidemic, with an overdose rate 10 times the national average. This flood of heroin now threatens this Appalachian city with a cycle of generational addiction, lawlessness, and poverty. But within this distressed landscape, Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Hollow) shows a different side of the fight against drugs -- one of hope."

Watch an interview with Jan Rader, Huntington's first female fire chief, on Meet the Press.

[jadah]

Just this past weekend at work, I took care of a 30 year old mother of two (removed from her care) with a pacemaker, an infection of her sternum of unknown origin, endocarditis, Hep C and cirrhosis of the liver.

The last time we took care of her, she left our facility against medical advise to go get more drugs.

Oh my aching heart. Every time I take care of this woman, I wonder will it be the last.

Where does it all stop?

[Sarianna]

I watched this a little while ago and it just broke my heart to pieces....addiction is devastating, just devastating

[xolady]

I've seen it first hand and really hate what has happened in our country.

[miamac]

Originally Posted by xolady

I've seen it first hand and really hate what has happened in our country.

In my hometown and generation it was meth. But every now and again I'll look at the arrest log for the city and I see heroin taking the space that meth used to. People don't feel like they have a future, or one waking up for, at least.

[milesofmemories]

I've watched this. It is probably one of the realist documentaries I have ever seen. Heroin is becoming an epidemic everywhere it seems. Nobody is untouchable by that stuff. Rich, poor, white, black, old, young...it's awful.

I live in Huntsville, AL and I have noticed the heroin situation get worse since they began the crack down on prescription pain medication. More overdoses, increased jail/prison population for drug offenses, etc. It's the same thing back home in Oregon from what I've heard.

[miamac]

Originally Posted by milesofmemories

It's the same thing back home in Oregon from what I've heard.

That's my home state, too, and it is a huge problem. It feels like we shifted from meth to heroine.

[milesofmemories]

Originally Posted by miamac

That's my home state, too, and it is a huge problem. It feels like we shifted from meth to heroine.

Boils down to drug dealers figuring out what the cheapest product they can produce the quickest with the longest high is. An addict will shift to that instantly.

People need to forget about the war on "pot" and shift their focus and funds to what is causing fatal overdoses.

I work with addicts on a daily basis and watch them struggle with not going back to that every day.

[Benjaminsbaby]

Originally Posted by miamac

That's my home state, too, and it is a huge problem. It feels like we shifted from meth to heroine.

Major issue here in Central CA, only difference Heroin is being cut with Meth and other OTC's causing immediate death, or the worse O'd you could imagine. It is showing up in High Schools here at a rapid rate.

[milesofmemories]

Originally Posted by Benjaminsbaby

Major issue here in Central CA, only difference Heroin is being cut with Meth and other OTC's causing immediate death, or the worse O'd you could imagine. It is showing up in High Schools here at a rapid rate.

Down here (Alabama) it is being cut with Fentanyl and that is what is causing so many of the fatal overdoses.

Like where you're at, it is being introduced into the high schools here. Dealers are making it more appealing by adding color to it (just like they started doing with meth).

The supply here is being run through Atlanta and the problem with that is the sheer capacity of that city, it is nearly impossible to get the big dealers off the street. For every one they arrest, 2 or 3 more pop up.

It's a sad situation.

[cannedsud]

Sad that this is happening right now. Can't the government do anything to stop the circulation of drug? I have seen the negative effects of this and boy, it's difficult if your loved one is going through this.

[miamac]

Originally Posted by cannedsud

Sad that this is happening right now. Can't the government do anything to stop the circulation of drug? I have seen the negative effects of this and boy, it's difficult if your loved one is going through this.

Historically our government has done more to encourage the distribution of drugs than stem it. :/

[Sobergirl05]

Originally Posted by milesofmemories

Down here (Alabama) it is being cut with Fentanyl and that is what is causing so many of the fatal overdoses.



Like where you're at, it is being introduced into the high schools here. Dealers are making it more appealing by adding color to it (just like they started doing with meth).



The supply here is being run through Atlanta and the problem with that is the sheer capacity of that city, it is nearly impossible to get the big dealers off the street. For every one they arrest, 2 or 3 more pop up.



It's a sad situation.

ThangGod for sobriety.

[miamac]

Thought this was interesting given the mixed opinions in the film on supplying the EMTs with the opiate antagonist nalaxone:

"[WalMart] Pharmacists will also use the controlled substance tracking program, NarxCare, by the end of August and will have a supply of naloxone [Narcan] at all pharmacy counters for by-request dispensing where allowed by state law." source

Apparently it's been available OTC at places like CVS and Walgreens for a while. I had no idea. It's not cheap-- the ready-to-use kits can run $130 while draw and inject is $20-40 per dose. Some communities have low or no cost availability. You can search for dispensaries here.

[Francis213]

I'm a woman in her 60's and I started using hard core drugs when I was 15. I started with "reds" then advance to slamming it. I stopped when I got married at 18 at least for a minute after that I went onto heroin and used that up until I was 49. I only made that choice when I was in prison and 30 days to the gate my husband passed away. I made that change because my husband always knew that he would have to go first so that I would stop. We had kids and grandkids that needed me in their lives. No he didn't OD, he died from Hep C complications. It only happened because I made that choice to stop. I didn't do a program, I didn't go to NA nothing I just stopped. I did start to drink but after about a year I started to have issues and pain with my liver. I knew I too had Hep C but it wasn't active when I paroled. It happened when I began to drink. Not everyone can make that choice, not everyone can do it with out some kind of help. It wasn't easy but my life now is enjoyable. I married again but it too will be over soon. I've been to hell and back and during all my trials and tribulations, I've always turned to my God and he keeps me from using. He tells me each and Everytime that he is with me and to trust him have faith in him. He will see me through it and true to his word he has. That drug is the worse drug to kick and I'm glad that it is over. My heart goes out to anyone on any kind of drugs.

[Lordbew/us]

Francis I'm so glad you've been able to overcome your addiction. I sure wish our youngest son could have - we lost him 11/30/2013 one day before his 25 birthday. I am currently on a grief forum for parents who've lost their children to addiction and I will tell you it is horrible to see how many parents are coming onto this forum daily.
I believe there is a drug war going on in our country and the target is our young people. We are losing an entire generation of young people and our government is virtually doing nothing. From my view point it is all about power and money! Too many people are making money off our kids. It's just not the drug dealers, it's the system that keeps churning. It's profitable to have and keep our kids addicted. Look at all the job creation at the expense of truly helping our kids. You've got the pharmecuetical industry, illegal drugs, rehabs, attorney's, prison system the list goes on. Like cancer....it's profitable, finding a cure would be awesome but it's not profitable.

[SeoulPanda]

I live in NH, it's horrible here...it's everywhere. It took my friends life and you will eventually succumb to the darkness unless you get help and stay clean. It's the staying clean that is the hardest part...

[SeoulPanda]

Originally Posted by Lordbew/us

Francis I'm so glad you've been able to overcome your addiction. I sure wish our youngest son could have - we lost him 11/30/2013 one day before his 25 birthday. I am currently on a grief forum for parents who've lost their children to addiction and I will tell you it is horrible to see how many parents are coming onto this forum daily.
I believe there is a drug war going on in our country and the target is our young people. We are losing an entire generation of young people and our government is virtually doing nothing. From my view point it is all about power and money! Too many people are making money off our kids. It's just not the drug dealers, it's the system that keeps churning. It's profitable to have and keep our kids addicted. Look at all the job creation at the expense of truly helping our kids. You've got the pharmecuetical industry, illegal drugs, rehabs, attorney's, prison system the list goes on. Like cancer....it's profitable, finding a cure would be awesome but it's not profitable.

I am sorry to hear about your son. My friend lost her fight in 2016, she struggled for years. I just finished the Intervention of the Heroin Triangle in GA. It was sad to find out that one of them did not make it at the end...I do like that GA has drug court, that someone out there is trying to help and not just lock up people and forget about them thinking that the problem will fix itself. I think that cop said it best, that you can't keep seeing these people time and again and not want to do something to help them. I agree with you that something needs to be done. I wish you nothing but peace.

[a.rare.love]

So sorry about your beloved son, LordBew...

God bless us all...

Hugs n blessings.Adios.