Sorry, We Can't Help You...

One of the most popular illicit drugs being used and abused today is the same drug that has been destroying lives for many years, dope. People nowadays use that term to describe many different drugs but to a Heroin addict “dope” only means one thing. Heroin has made a big comeback at all levels over the past several years. I consider opiates to be the most horrible, life-draining addiction there is therefore this post will focus on opiates and heroin exclusively. (I have another post in the works that will discuss other substances and different types of addictions). The modern heroin addict isn’t some shabby, disheveled character that lurks in the shadows, it’s an innocent looking teenager playing ball in the park, a well groomed executive with a family and a beautiful house in the suburbs, maybe even the receptionist at your doctor’s office.

Many heroin addicts unknowingly and unintentionally get hooked by starting out with legal prescription drugs. They might take Oxycodone or Vicodin for a thrill or even to treat pain from an injury. All of these drugs are classified as “opiates” and they are all capable of destroying your life. At first the drugs seem harmless, enjoyable even. People don’t realize how fast those addiction “hooks” dig in and what’s going to happen when the prescription runs out. Now they are hooked and can’t get more of the pills (unless of course they have a crooked doctor). Inevitably they discover that what they are experiencing is opiate withdrawals and they will eventually end up using heroin just to make themselves feel better, just to get through the day. Heroin used to have a dark stigma attached to it because it was always associated with hypodermic needles. Today’s heroin can be ingested in other ways, it can be smoked or sniffed but many addicts ultimately end up using needles because it is the fastest, most intense way of feeling the effects of the drug.

Not too long ago local newspapers ran several weekly stories about the new heroin epidemic on Long Island. The stories were hard hitting and accurate but unfortunately it didn’t spark enough public concern. Recently a more powerful, cheaper form of Heroin has been gaining popularity, it’s called “CHEESE.” (Similar to what happened in the 80’s when crack was introduced to the world). Cheese is made with black tar heroin and Tylenol PM. Some heroin is white in color and resembles baking soda or Cocaine, this new version is somewhat darker, generally beige or brown in color and resembles Parmesan Cheese, hence the name, “Cheese.” Drug pushers are always looking for ways to make their product more affordable to children. They want the $5.00 you give Junior every day for lunch. They often target children because it ensures that their business will survive. As with any business, it’s important to secure the next generation of customers. Cheese is a potent form of heroin and it can kill instantly. An innocent kid who doesn’t realize the risk involved can die the first time he (or she) tries it. This heroin epidemic on Long Island is nothing new. It’s something that most of us try to ignore, or we pretend it doesn’t exist at all, until one of our family members is hooked.

Only through educating the children and the public at large will we ever be able to stop these drugs from destroying peoples lives. For some reason our community leaders think (or hope) this problem will go away by itself. It’s an issue that most politicians ignore because there is no profit in rehabilitating drug addicts. The big, “War on Drugs’ is a joke. If there is such a war it’s a war that America is losing. America has spent TRILLIONS of dollars and there have never been more illicit drugs available on the streets (or in schools) than there are today. Where does this money go? If you are addicted to heroin and want to get off of it, you will quickly discover how hard it is to get help. You will hear, Sorry, we can't help you four or five times before someone will actually listen to you. Clinics all over are not accepting new patients and some are closing their doors completely. Doctors will promise you amazing results with new miracle drugs, but in reality it’s just another way for pharmaceutical manufacturers to cash in on people’s problems. Most doctors will only accept (a lot of) cash, up front for these treatments. Insurance companies will not authorize the treatment and the pills cost an average of $10.00 a piece, and may or may not be covered by insurance! These “miracle drugs” might be helpful to a very mild addict, but if you have a substantial habit you are not likely to achieve positive results.

Please join me in examining this problem in depth and feel free to share your stories and comments. I am certainly not a person qualified to give medical advice but I can share with you what I have learned through my personal experiences. I’ve lost many friends to drugs over the years and feel that our world leaders have let us down. My next post will start at the beginning of the problem. Not the beginning of drug problems in America, the beginning of addiction, the beginning of an individual drug addict. Why does a person take drugs? What compels children, or even adults to try drugs in the first place? From there I will explore different theories and possibilities, and attempt to answer some of the most common questions. I can’t offer an instant solution but I can offer some new ways of looking at the problem and dealing with it. Before you jump off the roof, pull your hair out or give some doctor a wad of cash, please listen to what I have to say. Maybe together we, the people, can figure this thing out because our faithful leaders aren’t doing a damn thing about it.

I feel it’s important to mention that William Floyd High School and Daytop are planning to open the first in school clinic for student addicts. I first saw this story on News 12, Newsday has also run the story. The decision will have to be authorized by N.Y. State but if it is given approval to move forward, it will be the first of its kind in New York State. Personally I feel that this decision should be voted on by the community, not some bureaucratic, detached politician. I can only hope that this plan moves forward. I have personally witnessed some of the problems that teenagers who want to get help encounter and I feel that this program is a giant step in the right direction.

Some facts regarding “CHEESE” were retrieved from the following web sites:
http://www.us-winston.com/mexicans-ultra-pure-form-of-heroin-can-kill-instantly/
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/05/18/the-new-designer-heroin-in-cheese-form/