Alcoholism

[!@#$%]

good luck xen.

we all have to follow our own path

[Shittles..TasteTheAsshole]

I know this is the Alcoholism thread but I thought I should post this.

 

Heroin Epidemic's New Terror: Carfentanil

 

Animal tranquilizer that's fatal to humans has been turning up in heroin batches across the country – and killing unsuspecting users as it goes

 

This August, at least 96 heroin users overdosed in one devastating, brutal week in just one county in Ohio. It's believed that they were victims not only of their addictions to heroin, but of a synthetic opioid that some dealers are adding to the narcotic to give it an even more powerful – and completely deadly – kick: Carfentanil.

 

Carfentanil is the most potent commercial opioid in the world, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. It is 10,000 times stronger than morphine, and at least 100 times more powerful than its analog, the opioid fentanyl, which was linked to Prince's untimely death. Carfentanil's only officially recognized use is to sedate large zoo animals like moose, buffalo and elephants. It takes just two milligrams of Carfentanil to knock out a 2,000-pound African elephant, and the veterinarians who administer the drug use gloves and face masks to prevent exposure to it, because a dose the size of a grain of salt could kill a person – and may be lethal even when absorbed through the skin. To be clear, Carfentanil is not for human consumption in any way. This does not stop drug dealers from adding a microscopic amount to heroin to give the drug an even more potent high – even though it's often fatal.

 

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The New Face of Heroin

The explosion of drugs like OxyContin has given way to a heroin epidemic ravaging the least likely corners of America - like bucolic Vermont, which has just woken up to a full-blown crisis

 

"The side effect of Carfentanil is death," says Newtown, Ohio Police Chief Tom Synan, president of the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police and member of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition taskforce, created in 2015 after a spike in heroin use in the area. "This drug knocks out elephants, that should tell us how dangerous it is," says Synan. "If death is the first side effect, the second is an overdose that you may never come out of." According to his intelligence, Synan believes that Carfentanil could signal a new wave of synthetic opioid use. "What we saw in Cincinnati with the spike [in overdoses] was the literal transition from organic opiates, like heroin, to synthetic opioids like fentanyl and Carfentanil," says Synan.

 

Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, has been particularly hard struck by heroin. It's believed that one person dies from heroin every other day in the county. In 2014, in a county of 800,000 people, 10,000 heroin users moved through its criminal justice system – and those were just the ones who got caught. Thanks in part to dealers who cut fentanyl and Carfentanil into heroin, there were 177 heroin-related deaths in Hamilton County last year – nearly one every other day – according to a recent report from the Heroin Coalition. That number will most likely triple if not quadruple this year, as there were 35 overdoses and six deaths during a three-day span in July, and those 96 overdoses that shook the county during that fateful week in August, which resulted in three more deaths. "Our community is devastated by heroin and fentanyl abuse," Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, the Hamilton County coroner said in a statement last July. "The fact that there is a new lethal drug that has been found on the streets in Hamilton County is devastating."

 

 

A forensic drug analyst opens baggies containing various types of heroin, which are being examined at the Hamilton County Coroners Crime Lab, September 1st, 2016

 

 

After a rash of deaths in the surrounding areas in July, Hamilton County officials issued a public health warning about the drug, urging first responders to take precautions to avoid any contact with the lethal drug, including no longer field testing suspected heroin samples. "It's not worth the risk," says Synan. The DEA has issued a warning about the drug, as well. "When Carfentanil hit the streets, first responders responded to almost 200 overdoses and saved almost everyone's life, which is astonishing," says Synan, who credits the swift action of both the paramedics as well the Heroin Coalition for spreading the word about the dangers of Carfentanil.

 

According to Synan, the drug seems to mainly be coming from China, where it is illegal, but illicitly manufactured in secret labs before being shipped to the U.S. People order it online and ship it through the U.S. Postal Service, before it eventually makes its way into the local heroin supply. While killing your customer base is a bad business model, according to Synan, dealers cut heroin with Carfentanil because it requires only minuscule amounts – smaller than a grain of salt – to increase the drug's potency. That lets dealers increase their supplies without much additional cost and gives users a nearly lethal bang for their buck. "Users give the dealer a good review – just like you do with Starbucks or McDonald's – telling other users that this dealer has good stuff. Soon customers start to build up. If four or five people die, I still have a hundred or two hundred customers lined up," says Synan.

 

One reason that Carfentanil-laced heroin is so deadly is that most heroin users have no idea that they are ingesting Carfentanil. (According to Synan, some dealers have no idea they are selling it, either). In its liquid form, it is odorless and colorless and used in such microscopic amounts that even drug labs and medical examiners have a difficult time testing for it. Users may take their standard dose of heroin – not realizing that something far more deadly is in the mix – and overdose as a result.

 

Overdosing on Carfentil is not the same as overdosing on pure heroin, though. Not only is it incredibly powerful, but it is also incredibly resistant to naloxone, better known as Narcan, the opioid antidote that serves as the last line of defense against a heroin overdose. A typical heroin overdose requires one or two shots to work, but when heroin is laced with Carfentanil, it may require six or more shots to counteract the drug – if it works at all. "What first responders were finding is that it was taking IVs of Narcan in order to just sustain people," says Synan. In short, if you overdose, first responders may not be able to save you – or themselves, which is why the ban on field testing heroin was put into place. "Take this as a dire warning to all if you choose to purchase and use any forms of heroin," said Dr. Sammarco in her statement. "No one knows what other drugs may be mixed in or substituted and you may be literally gambling with your life."

 

 

Pharmacist Julia Landis of Fort Hamilton Hospital displays an opioid overdose kit in Hamilton, Ohio, last December.

 

 

Additionally, while first responders do their best to save overdose victims, Carfentanil is depleting supplies of Narcan across Hamilton County. A Cincinnati city spokesperson told the local Fox affiliate that the cost of the Narcan that's usually administered to users who have overdosed is $32 – and that's starting to add up.

 

It's not just Hamilton County that's suffering with the effects of Carfentanil, though. From July 5th to 26th, Akron police and paramedics handled 236 heroin overdoses, while, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus had 10 overdoses – two fatal – in a nine-hour period. Law enforcement in western Pennsylvania have reported 200 recent overdoses in the region – roughly 20 of them fatal – that may be linked to Carfentanil, and the drug has been blamed for a spike in overdoses in Kentucky, Florida and Canada, according to The Washington Post. As the Carfentanil-related overdoses pile up, law enforcement officers around the country have struggled to find solutions. "You feel like a kid with his finger in the dike, you know?" Joseph Pinjuh, a Department of Justice drug task force chief based in Ohio, told the Associated Press. "We're running out of fingers."

 

On the local level, Synan and his team are gearing up for whatever comes next. "Drug cartels know their customers better than Avon does," says Synan. "There's going to be another drug out there soon and we're going to have to figure out how to respond to it."

[PolackFromPripyat]

Shit isn't a joke. Been fighting with it for the better part of a decade now, and since it's really taking off everywhere it makes it even harder now than it was 5 years ago.

 

I've been on methadone for a few years, tapering down right now and I'm about halfway through. Haven't used heroin since last year, but when I quit heroin and got on methadone I became an all-day-every-day drinker. When I got a job that stopped (just drank every night instead), but now I have a medical issue that worsens when I drink so I've been sober for a while, with slip ups here and there.

 

So to anyone who is dealing with any type of addiction, I wish you well. It's a constant struggle, and sometimes I almost feel that obsessing over not doing drugs is almost as bad as doing drugs, at least as far as mental health goes. Either way, it's too late to go back to normal now. Also, symbols, ralphy, and lugr, thanks for the kind words on Sword.

[fat ralphy]

Keep it up bro^^^^

 

Lots of things in life that are awesome, dope and sauce are overrated. Especially when using becomes a fucking chore.

[theprotester]

Over nine months now. Life is slowly starting to make sense. Still sitting in a lot if guilt and shame, thinking of the shoulds and the should nots.

 

Wishing you all strength no matter where you're at with your addictions.

[Shittles..TasteTheAsshole]

Congrats man! 9 months was around the time when the cravings really began to dwindle for me.

 

Your first Christmas holiday season after quitting will be difficult but if you've made it this far, you can do it.

 

Peace.

[theprotester]

Thanks mate. This thread keeps me going sometimes. Like a special interest meeting ha.

 

Rip poz.

 

I haven't been an outwardly social person for a very long time so to be honest the christmas time doesn't hold any sentimental using thoughts.

 

Will stick close and get through one day at a time etc etc

[SpelledWithThreeSixes]

Finally considering putting down the booze, at least for a little bit. Went on a drunken rampage on Friday night, pissed off everyone in the only bar in town I like, to the point I woke up Saturday morning with 4 slashed tires and had to spend a few hundred bucks I didn't have on new tires and rims. This should be the last straw. Hopefully the shakes don't try to sway me away.

[Boodah]

I've been obsessing mentally about sex for about 10 years. Random one night stands, missed opportunites, falling short with the women I was with, older of younger. Some underage. It hit hard when I was at my peak, and didn't get it in with 50 women when I was 19.

 

I guess drugs got in the way. My first asked me not to use marijuana when we were dating, andI didn't even have a second thought. We were 17 and 16. Then I dealt with doubting my sexuality because of some mental and emotional problems. I experimented once, and knew that I was straight after that. Then I started hanging out with this bisexual friend of my older sister's, who was, not to my conciousness, deep in the game of turning girls and boys. I grew up in a Christian household, communed Catholic. Started using cocaine, and really and truly thought it would and had deeper faith in it, by the way, travel me along with the straighter and narrower path.

 

After all that, I used coke twice this year, and now I'm 27, and I'm looking back to look forward. It's the first time I've been absolutely clear and safe in my own heart, head, spirit, that I'm straight. I find myself going back to when I was a sober 11-14 year old, taking so much of my friends' and culture's beginning's high held standards, how low I was seen by those who left safely away from the dive bar years.

 

I'm worried about the next move with my relationships. Do I open up about my doubts? Do I tell her ever last detail? My safety 1st mentality says take it slow. I know a lot about taking it with a woman who has had years of similar emotional issues.

 

My drug habits are way lowered this year, and I think hard as ever about others' diversity in background about these types of things.

[theprotester]

1 year sober today.

 

RIP POZ

 

I never knew there could be life like this.

 

Cheers to all the contributors to this thread.

[theprotester]

Sorry for the no reply boodah but that stuff is way outside my knowledge base.

 

Keep talking to people and try and find people you can identify with.

[pornpasswords]

grow up...youre doing legal kiddy drugs...that you buy for kids at 7-11...upgrade to hard opiates...

[Fist 666]

And go fuck yourself @pornpasswords

[CityonSMASH2017]

Alcohol is bad, alcohol generates horrible decision making and shitty physical distress after its effects causing punches to the face, car accidents, clamitia via questionable sexual partners and impaired protection values.

 

Smoke pot.

[Boodah]

I wrote a horror story once. Ended up getting way too drunk, so I could zen myself the wrong way into my writing.

[AmuroRay]

I've been obsessing mentally about sex for about 10 years. Random one night stands, missed opportunites, falling short with the women I was with, older of younger. Some underage. It hit hard when I was at my peak, and didn't get it in with 50 women when I was 19.

 

I guess drugs got in the way. My first asked me not to use marijuana when we were dating, andI didn't even have a second thought. We were 17 and 16. Then I dealt with doubting my sexuality because of some mental and emotional problems. I experimented once, and knew that I was straight after that. Then I started hanging out with this bisexual friend of my older sister's, who was, not to my conciousness, deep in the game of turning girls and boys. I grew up in a Christian household, communed Catholic. Started using cocaine, and really and truly thought it would and had deeper faith in it, by the way, travel me along with the straighter and narrower path.

 

After all that, I used coke twice this year, and now I'm 27, and I'm looking back to look forward. It's the first time I've been absolutely clear and safe in my own heart, head, spirit, that I'm straight. I find myself going back to when I was a sober 11-14 year old, taking so much of my friends' and culture's beginning's high held standards, how low I was seen by those who left safely away from the dive bar years.

 

I'm worried about the next move with my relationships. Do I open up about my doubts? Do I tell her ever last detail? My safety 1st mentality says take it slow. I know a lot about taking it with a woman who has had years of similar emotional issues.

 

My drug habits are way lowered this year, and I think hard as ever about others' diversity in background about these types of things.

 

This was heart felt, thanks for being candid, although I'm sure it was cathartic to write.

Sex is surely my addiction, I drink and smoke pot regularly, but have no problem going cold turkey.

I've done the things you spoke about ad nauseum, my hunger for vagina is insatiable it seems.

So many great nights and adventures, yet, the ones who got away or the lackluster mornings persist in the mind.

 

Drug use definitely makes things more complicated, i'm kinky/freaky enough naturally, but weed can turn

me into a sexual maniac at times.

 

Best advice I can give you, don't fret about it, some people will never know what good sex is like.

Be upfront with your lady, advice I live by. Some of the things I've told the mrs. weren't easy, there were

plenty of awkward talks, unfulfilled requests, and complicated smiles, but honesty really is the

best policy.

 

The way I see it, I rather lose my woman because I revealed who I am than keep her around under

the guise of being a half measure of myself.

[Boodah]

A hippie stole my Dubwise sweatshirt once. I said, 'you'll see in about 9 years.' That's the wisdom. Bloodfarts x red fat caps

[breakfast menu]

today i really really mangled a job interview that i was excited about. won't drink about it. want to, though.

[theprotester]

Only thing that I know won't work for you is taking a drink.

 

What makes you think you goofed the interview?

 

And yo inj!

[morton]

Interviews are a two way thing, if you tanked it, do not beat yourself up about it right away. Give it a while and you will probably see things in a little different light, perhaps the interviewer was an asshole, perhaps the job was over or under your skill set despite your level of enthusiasm, all kinds of things can go wrong and most of them are beyond your control.

 

It is the worst kind of anxiety though, the after the fact with unknown variables variety.

 

Despite offering the illusion of making problems become forgotten I have found that when dealing with regret that suppressing my central nervous system with alcohol does not actually help me process the situation to arrive at any positive outcomes.

 

I also blew a potential job recently, I am not really wanting to move but an ideal job popped up. I sort of half-assed the process and may well have taken myself out of the running because of it. Such is life, I held back because of the most ridiculous idea of loyalty to my current boss and perhaps my career will pay the price, or perhaps I dodged the bullet on a shitty job...I may never know.

 

Congrats on the anniversaries to those that have em, I am still doing the sober thing but have not gone to meetings or anything for a long while now.

[breakfast menu]

thanks guys. have had a bit of time to step away from it and talked to the sponsor and mostly resolved what happened. (that stuff = essential, always run your nonsense through someone else if you have the option...)

 

it was a bit my fault but also a terrible fit with the interviewer, who would have been my boss' boss. her and i weren't getting on at all and she hadn't reviewed my portfolio or any application materials prior to my arrival so i had to rush through them. not how i envisioned my introduction to this job, which is 10 minutes from my house and pays well (and is next to a good bench spot in my area). i'd built it up in my head to be the perfect job. but those high expectations were mine to set, and mine to fall from.

 

an experience like that sucks for anyone, in or out of recovery, but i'm grateful for a sober network that'll catch me when i get all up in my head.

 

good to see y'all. how you been @theprotester ????????

[morton]

It is a red flag that the person who would be your boss did not do the interview.

 

Speaking of interviews, I am off to one right now.

[breakfast menu]

good luck morton!

[morton]

Thanks, now I gotta decide whether to take the job or not.

[theprotester]

Nice one Mort.

 

@breakfast menu

 

I'm good mate. Reskilling at school these days. Living back in the city. Wild. No drink or drug for 14 months now.

 

How you tracking yourself, mate?