This reminds me of the story of the KGB analyzing Chairman Mao's stool samples from the "private bathroom" they provided when he visited USSR. [0] [1]
[0] http://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/kgb-agent-stalin-extr...
Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
31–40 of 44 posts
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
As far as I can tell it's a matter of decreasing global concern. US pushed a huge swath of global drug policy, and now that it's backtracking more reasonable responses are becoming common.
Maybe now, though the article's from 2008 and it's only comparatively recently in history that the drug war began. I mean, fair point, but it seems we're just quibbling about a background sentence. Even if it did oversell the problem/motivation, that's not unheard of in academic papers...
It's a minor point, but this trend has been picking up steam for a while. Not going though the full list, but 2008 was in the middle of this.
Several states had already long allowed medical use by 2008. Maine 1999, Nevada and Hawaii 2000 etc. But, Massachusetts decriminalized in 2008. 2009 Maine " further decriminalized cannabis when Governor John Baldacci signed legislation (LD 250) which made possession of 2.5 ounces or less a civil infraction.[27][28]"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_U.S._j...
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#33Every monitoring system eventually is used for social control, despite the best intentions of the creators. This is as true in the "public" domain as it is in the private workplace.
In this instance we will soon hear a hue & cry for monitoring of the drug levels in public waterways and sewers. To ensure no crime goes unpunished, that will be followed by the creation and use of systems that track drug use to the individual household (if such systems don't already exist). The information from such systems will be handed over to law enforcement et al, who will use it the same way they use all other information from monitoring devices.
As the ACLU predicted years ago, this information will be shared with 3rd parties to the degree that, should you order take-out pizza with cheese, you will receive an e-mail warning from your insurance company that your premium may increase if you don't control your diet better.
Now, by monitoring your sewer (indeed all your inputs and outputs), your insurance company (and others) can ensure that you don't make that cheese or that pizza yourself on the sly. There is no escape.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#34Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#35This reminds me of the story of the KGB analyzing Chairman Mao's stool samples from the "private bathroom" they provided when he visited USSR. [0] [1] [0] http://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/kgb-agent-stalin-extr... [1] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35427926
It was said, back in hte 90's, that the Brazilian President (Fernando Collor de Mello) would have his... dejects... checked, in his first visit to the USA. There were some rumors, back that time, that he was a cocaine user.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#36can we get a map of caffeine intake by region.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#37This isn't estimating drug abuse, it's estimating drug use. Wastewater measurements alone are not enough to determine how much of that use is harmful.
So how much cocaine or heroine is non-harmful? I would even say cannabis is also shown to be harmful cognitively unless someone stops for 4 weeks but I digress.
How do you define "non-harmful"?
I've known a number of senior executives in well known tech companies who are regular users (weekend partiers) of a number of drugs ranging from marijuana to cocaine, heroin and LSD. They are fortunate enough to have enough income to buy quality product, not cut with harmful chemicals.
Given that they lead very successful lives, I think the drug use is not harmful to them currently. Perhaps as they age out of their 40's and 50's the drug use will become more of a burden on their bodies, but there are certainly lots of lifestyle choices that are harmful to one's health that don't include any drugs at all.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
So how much cocaine or heroine is non-harmful? I would even say cannabis is also shown to be harmful cognitively unless someone stops for 4 weeks but I digress.
About cannabis, you would say that based on what?
Multiple of research studies. The long term harm has been ruled out but short term of days and weeks is shown in multiple of studies in regards to harm to cognitive and memory.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#39My mate works for a water treatment company, so he's regularly down the sewers doing stuff. His best ever comment was that he hates it in the rich towns cos the shit stinks vile. But in the poor towns it smells OK. I had always thought all shit smells the same.
I spent a summer pumping out septic tanks (good money, but not a job I'd choose again), and didn't notice any such difference -- rich sht smelled like poor sht. (though the wealthier customers tended to have more non-degradable bits in the sludge, I guess they didn't care as much about keeping their septic system healthy by taking care about what they flushed).
One customer called us after their son flushed all of his legos down the toilet, we had to suck them out of the drainfield cleanouts too, not sure how they made it that far since legos tend to sink. There must have been thousands of pieces, he must have worked long and hard on flushing them.
Re: Estimating Community Drug Abuse by Wastewater Analysis
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
So how much cocaine or heroine is non-harmful? I would even say cannabis is also shown to be harmful cognitively unless someone stops for 4 weeks but I digress.
How do you define "non-harmful"? I've known a number of senior executives in well known tech companies who are regular users (weekend partiers) of a number of drugs ranging from marijuana to cocaine, heroin and LSD. They are fortunate enough to have enough income to buy quality product, not cut with harmful chemicals. Given that they lead very successful lives, I think the drug use is not harmful to them currently. P…
Socially and relationships are in serious trouble. If you measure success as in performing in business and don't count the family and children then okay. Drugs harm relationships. Its proven.
People on drugs are emotionally numb and a emotionally numb people make horrible friends and parents. http://cascw.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/SubstanceAbu...
Best I have seen or heard on the effects of drugs on relationships. This is from "Liberal" This American Life.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/524/i...