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Thread: Heroin Overdose Epidemic - what is your perspective?

  1. #1
    THE THIRST MUTILATOR Nephrology's Avatar
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    Sep 2011
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    Heroin Overdose Epidemic - what is your perspective?

    Hi all -

    In this morning's edition of my AMA newsletter, the head article was about the soaring epidemic of fatal heroin overdoses in the US. According to these articles, the number of heroin users has tripled since 2003, and the number of heroin overdoses has quintupled since 2000. Apparently it has gotten so extreme that, as per AP, the Hartford, CT medical examiner is considering renting a refrigerated truck to store all of the bodies.

    Have you as LEOs noticed this trend in one way or another? If so, do you have any opinion on what is causing this change? Very curious to hear your thoughts.

    As an aside, I got pulled over literally for the first time yesterday - doing 40 in a 25. Turns out being polite, admitting I was driving too fast, and cooperating as much as possible leads to a friendly conversation and a warning. If I had believed the news I should have been dragged out of my car, beaten, and put in cuffs on trumped up charges. Who woulda thunk it.

  2. #2
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    I'd be interested in hearing the LE opinions as well...It's pretty big in the northern Illinois area...we've got at least four twentysomethings trached and PEGed in our ICU and just had a 19 year old in complete 3rd degree AV block due to endocarditis sign out AMA because sobriety wasn't appealing.

    Don't do drugs kids.

    Sent from my VS876 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
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    There's a lot more heroin out there. Personally I think the problem is Narcan, it interferes with natural selection. Not all that long ago, an OD on heroin was a one time proposition. Now it's the same repeat customers. OD on heroin, fire department gives them a reversal in the field, then they want to fight because their high got ruined. If it's not already, Narcan is supposed to be an OTC medication.
    Last edited by txdpd; 06-24-2016 at 08:56 AM.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter tanner's Avatar
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    Detroit adjacent.
    When I started in the mid 90's it was almost all crack cocaine. Hardly ever see it anymore, however now a days we come across people booting up heroin in parking lots almost daily.

    A LEO friend of mine lost his 20 year old son to heroin. All American kid, football star in high school. Shoulder surgery led to pill problem which led to the heroin. All within 20 months.

    My opinion as to the change? Opioid prescriptions. People are abusing the shit out of that shit.

    One of my coworkers went for neck surgery (some kind of fusion like Peyton Manning got) and he refused the meds outright just because he was scared he would have a problem.

  5. #5
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    East Greenwich, RI
    It's happening here in Louisiana. I can't recall the stats off the top of my head, but there have very large increases here.

  6. #6
    As much as it sucks to hear it. Heroin, meth, coke are all part of Darwinism. The worst wart is that we keep interfering with it. And yes, I've had friends and family become addicted and struggle with it. The only people I have sympathy for are those who get hooked on pain pills while under a docs care. Their doc should be helping them not just filling in RX's.

    I'd be willing to offer help once; after that you're on your own. Same goes for alcoholics. No more of this throw money after the same repeat customers over and over and over.

  7. #7
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    S.W. Ohio
    We're seeing a lot over the last couple of years with no apparent ned in sight. At one point last summer our Fire Department was reviving an average of 8 OD's per day with Narcan. We've also seen a lot of Heroin laced with Fentanyl with bad results.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by txdpd View Post
    There's a lot more heroin out there. Personally I think the problem is Narcan, it interferes with natural selection. Not all that long ago, an OD on heroin was a one time proposition. Now it's the same repeat customers. OD on heroin, fire department gives them a reversal in the field, then they want to fight because their high got ruined. If it's not already, Narcan is supposed to be an OTC medication.
    Exactly! We have to carry it in our cruisers and it's not uncommon to have repeat customers, some as high as 5x in two weeks.

  9. #9
    Glock Collective Assimile Suvorov's Avatar
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    Escapee from the SF Bay Area now living on the Front Range of Colorado.
    Where does most US bound heroin originate?

  10. #10
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Not LE, but: I know that a couple of our universities have lost students to heroin OD recently, and heroin usage as an employee problem in the restaurant industry is really hitting my radar locally; I've heard from 3 business owners this year that they've had to shit can closing employees over heroin use in the business after hours. Anecdotal, from just one guy, but there it is.

    Quote Originally Posted by Suvorov View Post
    Where does most US bound heroin originate?
    Point taken. Go for the regime change, stay for the poppies.
    Last edited by Totem Polar; 06-24-2016 at 10:54 AM.

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