Heroin Becoming a Larger Problem in the Suburbs November 8
Few parents understand what a widespread problem drugs are among adolescents or just how deadly and dangerous the drugs they can get are. Living in the suburbs doesn’t exclude these teens from trying and becoming addicted to heavier drugs like heroin. In the fact the high stress, highly competitive environment may encourage substance abuse which can escalate into serious addiction very quickly. Among teenagers in the region of Nassau County in the state of New York 25 overdosed on heroine in the first 6 months of 2009, in 2008 46 overdosed on the same drug and 2007 27 perished from overdose. Where once drug raids netted hundreds of bags of heroine now they retrieve thousands.
These kids aren’t from impoverished homes or seemingly at risk for developing addiction, many are in their teens and twenties (often hone roll students) and the rate of those who abuse the drug are rising over time. The age of use is dripping as the rate of young users rises and the cost of buying heroine lowers. Currently a bag of the drug that provides a 6-8 hour high can be bought for roughly $5-$25 which is a vast difference for the same amount of cocaine which costs $40-$60 for just a 30 minute high. Even prescription medications like OxyContin are much more expensive and cost roughly $40 per pill on the street. It’s actually cheaper and easier to get than alcohol. The worry of this kind of use only grows worse when you consider the much stronger dose of today’s heroin over that of the 1970s and the fact that these kids see the thrill of barely escaping death part of the high.
Overdose numbers have already prompted education programs about the dangers of heroin for 8th graders but the level of abuse remains high. The only real way these numbers are going to drop is if parents stop looking away from their children’s problems and instead make steps to help resolve them.
Tags: drug use, heroin, substnace abuse, suburbs
Marianne Skolek Nov 9
OxyContin and Heroin Commission Report – State of Massachusetts
Marianne Skolek Salem-News.com
After months of testimony and preparation, the State of Massachusetts today issued their report on “Recommendations of the OxyContin and Heroin Commission”
(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) – The State of Massachusetts “is in the midst of a serious and dangerous epidemic. Prescription drug use is skyrocketing, opioid overdose deaths are steadily increasing and while support for these addiction treatment programs has increased, it is not sufficient to meet the needs of this growing problem.”
Marianne Skolek
“Based on the nearly 30 hours of oral testimony, thousands of pages of written testimony and the many heartfelt stories the Commission received, the recommendations reflect twenty broad areas of public policy pertaining to addiction and treatment of addiction. The major points of reform include; improving education and prevention measures in schools, revamping our prescription monitoring program to fall in line with more comprehensive plans from other states, regulating pain management training for doctors, dentists and nurse practitioners, ensuring that health insurance companies cover the necessary treatment for each individual, implementing a comprehensive jail diversion program for first-time, non-violent offenders, developing more effective strategies to support long-term engagement in treatment, and correcting the CORI system to better reflect the nature of substance abuse related crimes.”
Since every state is immersed in an epidemic of OxyContin a/k/a Hillbilly Heroin, I would like to suggest that every state follow the lead of the State of Kentucky. On October 4, 2007 Kentucky officials sued Purdue Pharma because of widespread Oxycontin abuse in Appalachia.
A lawsuit filed by Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo and Pike County officials demands millions in compensation from drug maker Purdue Pharma.
Purdue Pharma is a $10 billion pharmaceutical company and should be held accountable for this nationwide epidemic of OxyContin deaths and addictions.
OxyContin was marketed as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients by Purdue Pharma. Why should this country allow convicted felons to have billions of dollars in profits while experiencing a modern day Holocaust of loss of life — and many in young lives?
Let’s require Purdue Pharma to build drug rehabilitation centers in every state in the country; provide the finest addiction specialists to treat the victims of OxyContin; and not let insurance companies tell any family that their loved one can’t be treated in an in-house drug rehabilitation facility for their OxyContin addiction.
There will be scores of empty chairs at family tables this Thanksgiving because of the actions of a company without a conscience. Let’s have every state send a very strong message to Purdue Pharma — “You will not profit off this epidemic. We will do whatever it takes to have victims of OxyContin treated in Purdue Pharma Drug Rehabilitation Facilities throughout the country.”
Marianne Skolek
National Activist for Victims of OxyContin and
Purdue Pharma – a criminally convicted pharmaceutical company
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july272009/oxycontin_ms_7-27-09.php
http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=2905&wit_id=6612
mskolek@aol.com
http://www.oxydeaths.com
Washington Nov 19
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