New & Cheap Ways to Get High for Teens & Adults-Overdoses Kill More than Auto Accidents
Posted: Saturday, February 26, 2011
by Steve Kovacs
The Kovacs Perspective
I really didn’t want to write an article on illegal drugs in America but I couldn’t resist. You see, average people, folks who never would have thought of doing hard drugs before are indulging in one of the worst and most addictive drugs in the world. Indulging so much so, that it is a declared health crisis in some areas. Middle aged white men and young suburban women are amongst the fastest growing victims. I speak of heroin and something else that is being abused which is legal and almost heroin’s identical equivalent—prescription painkillers like Oxycontin and morphine.
You may think well, people have been getting high on heroin and painkillers for years. Yes, they have but now it is spreading out more so than ever before. Suburbanites and country folk, people who may have smoked weed or drank alcohol in the past are doing a drug that for generations, was found exclusively in urban areas. They are also abusing prescription drugs—drugs such as OxyContin, which Orman Hall, director of Ohio’s Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services says is, “Basically just pharmaceutical grade heroin”. The use is so high that officials in Scioto County, Ohio, which is near the West Virginia and Kentucky borders, declared opiate addiction a public health emergency last year. Treatment centers are turning away addicts by the hundreds and health officials have said one in 10 babies born there is addicted to drugs. Furthermore, in the entire state of Ohio, overdoses kill more people than auto accidents.
In the late 1990s Ohio, along with other states passed laws that allowed doctors to relieve pain for which there was no other treatment by using powerful prescription opiates. Dr. Gregory Collins, director of the Cleveland Clinic Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center says, “More doctors became interested in treating pain and used these strong medications more aggressively and more liberally.” That shift brought more of these pills on the market. Collins says he began to see people who had little or no history of drug abuse seeking addiction treatment. People with broken bones or athletic injuries were finding it hard to wean themselves off these powerful opiates.
As an example, I had a friend who was injured in a horrible police training accident. After surgery, he was in terrible pain while recuperating at home. He told me he started getting addicted to the pain pills doctors prescribed for him. At the time, I thought he might have been overreacting as I thought if a doctor prescribed them it should be all right. He said he realized he could not get by without popping more and more pills, not for pain so much, but for getting through the day and night. He stopped taking the pills while still laid up in bed. He said he had a terrible few days weaning off the medications but he said he knew he was getting into trouble. He started taking less potent medications for his pain and successfully came through it all. Now, facts are showing this to be a common occurrence across many areas of the U.S.
Furthermore, in 2007, Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin was ordered to pay over $600 million in fines for downplaying how addicting and easy to abuse the drug was. I am assuming doctors were fooled by this company—unconscionable!
How does heroin fit into all of this? Steven Dettelbach, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said that prescription drug abuse plays a role in the demand for heroin. Again, we must remember that heroin and some of these opiates are just about the same in its effect when they are abused. Purity, price and new purveyors from Mexico are also a part of the equation for heroin’s surge. Available and quite affordable heroin means a cheap high for people looking for escape and “fun”. The problem with heroin is that it is not fun—it is very addicting. A few years ago, I talked to a large group of average, generally law-abiding people caught up in an undercover employment bust. They become addicted to heroin while buying and using it in a rural manufacturing plant. Dozens of employees became caught up in the available cheap high bought in and sold by a few pushers. These men and women saw a cheap high opportunity and were sold a bill of goods by pushers that heroin was cool and safe. Many became addicts. I also personally know a family that in the span of 11 months had two drug overdose deaths. They were in their 40s and 50s with some legal and illegal drugs being involved.
So how do we as a society stop this problem? There are record heroin police busts occurring. There are also busts on doctors who prescribe these “legal” medications at drug mills and believe me, there are plenty of these around. As an example, the county I mentioned before, Scioto County—has about a half-dozen pain clinics for a population of 75,000. According to the Governor’s office, 9.7 million doses of prescription painkillers were dispensed in the County which boils down to 123 doses for every man, woman and child. Truthfully, people from Kentucky and West Virginia drive there to get their pills too.
Some people, via the Internet purchase large tubs (like what pharmacies have) of pain pills from foreign countries like and including OxyContin and get it shipped right to their homes. From there they go on the street and sell them for 5 or ten dollars a pill, still making a nice profit. This is a cheap high for kids and adults. Heroin is plentiful and when something is abundant, prices are low. Michael Matoney who is the Executive director of New Directions, a treatment facility for teens in Ohio says prescription drugs are sometimes easier for teens to get than beer.
Studies show what causes this type of out of control drug abuse. They point toward societal and medical trends, including aggressive marketing of painkillers, liberal prescribing of the drugs and the ease of getting the drugs over the Internet, pill mills and on the street. I also believe that a week family structure is a cornerstone for drug abuse in the young. In addition, I believe that the general mindset across much of the country that says any thing that makes you feel good is simply okay, has a hand to play in some of the heroin and prescription street abuse.
So what should a responsible society do? Is the answer more police busts? No, I can firmly say that is not the solution to this infection on society. Criminal busts may be a temporary fix and necessary in cases, but it is simply a Band-Aid. Early education has to be paramount. In early elementary school, short yet realistic education on what drugs really may do and their consequences should be taught. Not scare tactics but realistic education by teachers. Furthermore, educators, politicians and religious leaders need to continually try and find solid ways to strengthen the family structure. Changing much of the mindset of America is what is needed. Tragedy or drastic upheaval sometimes makes a dramatic change in people and nations. I hope that does not happen in the U.S and we come to our senses on our own.
In the late 1990s Ohio, along with other states passed laws that allowed doctors to relieve pain for which there was no other treatment by using powerful prescription opiates. Dr. Gregory Collins, director of the Cleveland Clinic Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center says, “More doctors became interested in treating pain and used these strong medications more aggressively and more liberally.” That shift brought more of these pills on the market. Collins says he began to see people who had little or no history of drug abuse seeking addiction treatment. People with broken bones or athletic injuries were finding it hard to wean themselves off these powerful opiates.
As an example, I had a friend who was injured in a horrible police training accident. After surgery, he was in terrible pain while recuperating at home. He told me he started getting addicted to the pain pills doctors prescribed for him. At the time, I thought he might have been overreacting as I thought if a doctor prescribed them it should be all right. He said he realized he could not get by without popping more and more pills, not for pain so much, but for getting through the day and night. He stopped taking the pills while still laid up in bed. He said he had a terrible few days weaning off the medications but he said he knew he was getting into trouble. He started taking less potent medications for his pain and successfully came through it all. Now, facts are showing this to be a common occurrence across many areas of the U.S.
Furthermore, in 2007, Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin was ordered to pay over $600 million in fines for downplaying how addicting and easy to abuse the drug was. I am assuming doctors were fooled by this company—unconscionable!
How does heroin fit into all of this? Steven Dettelbach, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said that prescription drug abuse plays a role in the demand for heroin. Again, we must remember that heroin and some of these opiates are just about the same in its effect when they are abused. Purity, price and new purveyors from Mexico are also a part of the equation for heroin’s surge. Available and quite affordable heroin means a cheap high for people looking for escape and “fun”. The problem with heroin is that it is not fun—it is very addicting. A few years ago, I talked to a large group of average, generally law-abiding people caught up in an undercover employment bust. They become addicted to heroin while buying and using it in a rural manufacturing plant. Dozens of employees became caught up in the available cheap high bought in and sold by a few pushers. These men and women saw a cheap high opportunity and were sold a bill of goods by pushers that heroin was cool and safe. Many became addicts. I also personally know a family that in the span of 11 months had two drug overdose deaths. They were in their 40s and 50s with some legal and illegal drugs being involved.
So how do we as a society stop this problem? There are record heroin police busts occurring. There are also busts on doctors who prescribe these “legal” medications at drug mills and believe me, there are plenty of these around. As an example, the county I mentioned before, Scioto County—has about a half-dozen pain clinics for a population of 75,000. According to the Governor’s office, 9.7 million doses of prescription painkillers were dispensed in the County which boils down to 123 doses for every man, woman and child. Truthfully, people from Kentucky and West Virginia drive there to get their pills too.
Some people, via the Internet purchase large tubs (like what pharmacies have) of pain pills from foreign countries like and including OxyContin and get it shipped right to their homes. From there they go on the street and sell them for 5 or ten dollars a pill, still making a nice profit. This is a cheap high for kids and adults. Heroin is plentiful and when something is abundant, prices are low. Michael Matoney who is the Executive director of New Directions, a treatment facility for teens in Ohio says prescription drugs are sometimes easier for teens to get than beer.
Studies show what causes this type of out of control drug abuse. They point toward societal and medical trends, including aggressive marketing of painkillers, liberal prescribing of the drugs and the ease of getting the drugs over the Internet, pill mills and on the street. I also believe that a week family structure is a cornerstone for drug abuse in the young. In addition, I believe that the general mindset across much of the country that says any thing that makes you feel good is simply okay, has a hand to play in some of the heroin and prescription street abuse.
So what should a responsible society do? Is the answer more police busts? No, I can firmly say that is not the solution to this infection on society. Criminal busts may be a temporary fix and necessary in cases, but it is simply a Band-Aid. Early education has to be paramount. In early elementary school, short yet realistic education on what drugs really may do and their consequences should be taught. Not scare tactics but realistic education by teachers. Furthermore, educators, politicians and religious leaders need to continually try and find solid ways to strengthen the family structure. Changing much of the mindset of America is what is needed. Tragedy or drastic upheaval sometimes makes a dramatic change in people and nations. I hope that does not happen in the U.S and we come to our senses on our own.
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Top-level comments on this article: (10 total)"Criminal busts may be a temporary fix and necessary in cases" is one of our national conclusions and is a crime worse than addiction, which is a disease; one should not arrest and incarcerate diabetics any more than one should arrest and jail heroin addicts.
Many countries substitute detox and hospitalization for prison and others, like Great Britain, supply the drug to addicts and remove all criminality attached to it.
Jail is a burgeoning business taken over by private industry in these United States and more than 20% of all incarcerated prisoners have addiction issues.
Our locking up people with such a disease is bestial and caveman-like, by comparison, to other Western Industrial countries who recognize the blatant illness of addiction and do not fill their prisons with these poor people.
We have much to learn from others.
You tacitly understand this medical state of addictive obsessive drug compulsion when you state,
"I really didn’t want to write an article on illegal drugs in America but I couldn’t resist."
PaulJail is not the answer. However, the pushers who went into that rural manufacturing plant and "sold" a bill of goods to unsuspecting people or the people who scope out a school where young people go and plan ways to entice them to start buying what they are selling should be arrested. They do not have an illness other than doing for themselves no matter what and no matter at who's expense. There are cases for arrest and conviction. The drug issue as a whole as I say is much deeper and has deeper solutions other than arresting/jail. Thanks for taking time to offer your well thought out views.
Steve
I didn't realize some painkillers contain heroin. No wonder they're addictive. Kudos to your friend, I think that was very courageous. And I agree that the solution lies in education and stronger nurturing bonds.Hi Jennifer--What bothers me about my friends case was that he had top doctors around him and granted he had a terrible injury and was in bad pain they should have known better. He had to figure out himself that something was wrong--that's weird. I'll stick with a glass or two of scotch....ha-ha---thanks for writing....
Education and the strengthening of societies willingness to accept this problem as a health problem instead of forcing these people into the shadows with the stigma of criminal behavior and incarceration is by far the most effective method for a society that truly wants to help control this problem, as opposed to making it a convenient method to control a segment of the population (the poor) that will always be more tempted to use it's illegal status as a means to make money for the survival of their families. Regulate and educate will not eliminate the problem, but is a far superior method to exacerbate, and incarcerate. It has proven to be more effective for other addictive and lethal substances such as tobacco and alcohol, so let's not make the problem worse than it already has become, and work on a solution rather than escalating the problem. Nice work Steve.Dave, I actually was going to mention you in this article as being the answer man regarding this topic as I think your articles are the best on this subject. I just wanted to add my personal experiences and views. Thanks for writing.
Steve
I was given Oxycontin when I was sixteen for pain. I took it for almost a week before my mum realized that it was actually really addicting and took me off it. Pain killer abuse is dangerous, and it makes the people who really need them have trouble getting them, as doctors tend to think some make up severe pain to get the drugs. And some do, but some do not. Thanks for this article, it was interesting.You're welcome I'm glad you liked it and thank God for your mom for seeing what OxyContin was was starting to do to you.
Steve
I'm SO glad you wrote this. People NEED to know! Thanks so much for writing it!
The reality of this is, that TONS of kids do drugs. As far as I'm concerned, it's a tragic epidemic. Parents do not want to believe their kids do drugs. But, all of the kids that I know who do drugs, have fantastic parents...fantastic parents that have no idea that their kids do drugs.
As a teenager myself, I can tell you that the main two drugs that kids do (the ones that are easiest to come by) are Corricidin pills, and liquid Robitussin. The other two main drugs kids take that parents unknowingly supply them with, is Airduster (a can of compressed chemicals SUPPOSED to be used for cleaning out computer fans), pain killers and muscle relaxers. Another drug kids take all the time is Adderal, the drug that autistic kids take for autism. There are tons of people who sell Adderal, pain killers and muscle relaxers. The last most common way kids like to get high is huffing gas. To get high off of gas, they put their mouth on the nozzle, and inhale gas vapors until they vomit, and then do it again, to keep their high going.
To get high off of Corricidin, you take anywhere from 8 to 62 pills AT ONCE, to get as high as possible. If you're a "pro" (cool, in other words) you'll take ATLEAST 32 at once. If you vomit, that's even cooler. Then you're "hardcore". Coricidin's street name is "Skittles" and "Triple C's".
To get high off of Robitussin, you drink anywhere from 1 to 3 bottles at once, like cans of soda. The more you drink, the "cooler" you are, of course. Robitussin's street name is "Robo".
Kids usually snort pain pills, but they take them orally as well.
They take muscle relaxers orally.
They tend to take Adderall (street name: Addies) orally, but they snort them as well.
To get high off of Airduster, you put your mouth on the nozzle and pull the trigger, inhaling the compressed chemicals. The high only lasts a few minutes. Then the user will inhale more. Usually, a whole bottle will be inhaled by the user within 30 minutes to an hour.
The effects that I know of on kids, for the most part, are these below. I'll list them.
Corricidin: Sweaty but cold, irregular heart beat, dilated pupils, strange hand movement, paranoid, speech slowing and speeding up irregularly, laying still quite a bit as if slightly comatose, and most of all, vomiting. But with Coricidin, you can ALWAYS tell by the eyes. MAJORLY dilated pupils.
Airduster: Drooling (immediately after inhaling), dilated pupils, slurred speech, irregular movement, irritability, irregular or hysterical laughter, lack of coordination, vomiting, and occasionally hallucinations.
Aderall: When someone is on Adderall, they feel like they're good at everything. They feel like they can do anything. Adderall makes your fingers move quickly and expertly at whatever you're doing. On Adderall, you can stay awake for days at a time, and focus on anything extremely well. Someone on Aderall will be extremely confident as soon as the pill or pills take effect and will focus completely on whatever they're doing. Their fingers will constantly move, just like when someone is on Coricidin.
Inhaling/Huffing Gas: Dizzy, loss of coordination, impaired movement, slurred speech. Someone on gas will have a stupid, silly expression on their face when they look at you.
Pain killers: Honestly, it's hard to say on this because pain killers have a different effect on each kid that takes them. But most often, when taken to get high, they cause significant pupil dilation, vomiting, apathy, and inability to concentrate.
Muscle Relaxers: Slurred speech, impaired balance, apathy.
Robitussin: Dilated pupils, vomiting, impaired movement, slurred speech, lack of coordination. And just like with Coricidin, the person high off of Robitussin will move their fingers constantly, and often lay almost comatose, staring at their hands and looking at things in an odd, inspecting manner.
Thanks for writing this article. By making others aware and supplying information, you're actually saving lives.
Thanks Sydney for adding all this. This is outstanding. This is stuff that is realistic and what is happening now. That is how I like to get my info; from people that are doing it and what I see with my own eyes rather than from a book. This is great for anyone who wants to know what is occurring out there now.
Now the big question I'd like to ask you though, is that how, or what might work to keep "these" kids from wanting or more specifically, getting high? Your opinion....
Thanks again,
SteveWell Steve, all of the kids I know that do drugs have an underlying emotional pain that they're trying to mask. When they do drugs, they can escape that pain. When I went to a friend of mine's house a few weeks ago who does drugs, his diary was laying open and perhaps I shouldn't have read the open page, but I did. It said "I take the drugs so I don't feel the pain."
These kids have good parents, but there's many things that parents don't see, and don't want to see. These kids often feel like they can't talk to their parents, and don't have anyone to turn to when they have these unseen pains, so they turn to drugs instead.
And I have seen for myself that as soon as these kids have a support system or someone that they feel is listening to them and there for them, they stop doing drugs. As soon as my friend who owned the diary I wrote of above got a girlfriend, he quit doing drugs. But as soon as they broke up, he started doing drugs again.
I think if parents are willing to sit down and truly listen to their kids and be there for them, then their kids wont do drugs. But parents don't handle drugs the right way, usually. They just say things like "You better not do it." To a kid, that just sounds like a challenge.
I think the most effective way would be for the parent or parents to sit down, and tell the kid that they love them, and they're always there for them. Tell the kid that they're too good for drugs. Listen to the kids dreams, and give them motivation to chase them. And most of all, when a kid feels like they're truly close to their parents, they don't want to do drugs. In other words, when a kid feels like they have a reason not to do drugs, they wont do them.
Love truly is the anti drug. The kids that do these drugs need someone to turn to, and I think if the parents really sit down and give them a loving motivational talk and tell them why they shouldn't do drugs, then they wont want to, from what I've seen.Sydney, I'm not sure if you realize that what you wrote hear is a treasure. Coming from the mouth of someone who sees it close up and in the way that authorities or many in "power" do not really see or give enough credence too. I think you hit the nail on the head. Now, from what you write here is where plans need to be formulated from to help people--kids/parents. People should take note. Great job here Sydney. Thanks.
Steve
I almost forgot the worst drug of all. Morphine. Recently kids have been doing lots of morphine in extremely dangerous doses. The people who work at hospitals sell it to the kids, and adults for them to get high off of.Morphine, yes abused too. Nice...hospital workers selling it to kids! What State are you in Sydney? Thanks for great additions here....
SteveGeorgia.
But yes, morphine is being heavily abused all over the place now because hospital workers smuggle it out and sell it to kids and adults as well.
No problem, I would love to put a stop to kids abusing drugs, and by getting the information out there maybe it can be stopped.Thanks again and yeah, education and knowledge is the way to do it.
Steve
Good article on good subject, thanks.
Many deadly painkillers that contain heroin, morphine etc and more dangerous produce from chemical, fertilizers, opium etc are entering in America through the route illegal immigrant . The people of Afghanistan and Pakistan border is major supplier of this lucrative business to buy deadly weapons from many country including America.
One report states that the U.S. had about 11 million illegal immigrants in January 2010 and illegal immigrants numbers are increasing.Most of these illegal immigrants are drug addicts and wanted criminals of world.There are many American sitting in different country who are in lucrative business to import illegal immigrant.
Recently case of David Headley of America in India, who specialize in illegal immigrants to us directly, or through New Zealand, Australia, Canada etc. was news of media in India.
Until America law do not take action against its citizen who support illegal business of heroin,morphine etc and illegal immigrant who are addict to it, things are unlikely to change.Hi Gaurav,
The illegal immigrant problem in the U.S. is something that must be fixed as soon as possible. However, there are many good people who have come to the U.S just to make a better living for themselves and their families. However, in my view, America has to get a realistic legal guest worker program in place, protect it's borders, and fine American companies who use illegal workers. I can't believe our leaders are too afraid or too stupid to have yet come up with solutions--and yes illegal substances are brought to America by some illegals as well. I think though the answer to drugs for us in the U.S. is to stop the desire for it. Maybe that's impossible!
Thank you for reading and taking the time to offer your views.
Steve
Steve Kovacs, good issue raised.
Thanks again, Gaurav.
I do not recommend getting high all the time to anyone - or eating or drinking water, or sleeping all the time. But getting high seems part of all of higher life forms. Seems to me, pot is the safest drug out there, I would rather have a kid smoking pot than drinking or taking pills or snorting stuff. Of course meditation is better than pot, but a few puffs of pot has got to be better for you than drinking or pills. Keeping kids off drugs is like keeping cats off tables and counters. Better to be realistic and say moderate and be responsible and safe than "zero tolerence". I have not smoked pot for 25 years, but I know the laws are part of the problem, not the solution.Yeah, pot, as an example is much safer than alcohol and when was the last time you ran into a violent pot head! But again, getting high too much, even with something that might be pretty safe is stupid...in any form. You bring up an interesting point that to work towards moderate and reasonable instead of zero. Sounds reasonable to me but some families choose to go the zero tolerance way and they approach it with their kids well and it works. But your idea of bringing reasonableness to the table with kids usage when they get older, makes sense to me.
Thanks for writing...
Steve
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