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The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

nytimes.com

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Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#31

Post by rev_bird »

pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

>the gateway drug marijuana

This is a myth, and not even a good one. Alcohol has a far stronger correlation with negative outcomes than marijuana does, and having "personally seen friends" doesn't change that.

As for the childish "less drugs, not more" solution you've come up with, weed has been illegal for almost a century. It hasn't helped yet -- what do you propose? We start killing weed dealers?

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#32

Post by rev_bird »

1undo wrote: post #23
pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

That's true, but HN tends to be more liberal so you will be downvoted though.

It's not the fault of liberals that you believe quantifiably incorrect things, but it's a convenient idealogical scapegoat to get out of learning anything helpful.

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#33

Post by DaiPlusPlus »

ElatedOwl wrote: post #18
pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

I only started using cannabis because I got accustomed to the highs from coffee /s

Slightly off topic, but I do sometimes experience a pleasant and relaxing, but short-lived (5-15 minute) “high” from caffeine comparable to a mild Adderrall high without the motivation drive. People I’ve spoken to about this have generally been dismissive of it as placebo or saying it is atypical - am I alone in experiencing this?

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#34

Post by [deleted] »

pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

[deleted]

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#35

Post by pmc1 »

jnbiche wrote: post #28
pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

This is false, and there's a lot of data to support the assertion that you're wrong. Just a sample of articles covering such studies: 1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/16/legal... 2) https://drugabuse.com/legalizing-marijuana-decreases-fatal-o...

Here's data that says otherwise. Guess you are free to believe whatever data you wish.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/mari...

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#36

Post by wu-ikkyu »

sidcool wrote: post #7

I cannot understand why the Government is not acting against the pharmas profiting from this crisis. And why people are not revolting. There is a clear nexus between pharmas and doctors. Something should be done.

>I cannot understand why the Government is not acting against the pharmas profiting from this crisis.

$$$

> And why people are not revolting.

Drugs are an effective and subtle form of chemical warfare. They keep the people docile and apathetic.

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#37

Post by [deleted] »

pmc1 wrote: post #11

> Millions of people have fallen victim to drugs, painkiller abuse, alcoholism, the rise of meth and the revival of heroin. Through all this carnage somehow the left still fights for the legalization of the gateway drug marijuana. Of course not all weed users move towards harder drugs, but it opens the door to more lethal drugs once susceptible individuals become accustomed to the highs. I have personally seen friend…

[deleted]

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#38

Post by nothrabannosir »

pmc1 wrote: post #35
jnbiche wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is false, and there's a lot of data to support the assertion that you're wrong. Just a sample of articles covering such studies: 1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/16/legal... 2) https://drugabuse.com/legalizing-marijuana-decreases-fatal-o...

Here's data that says otherwise. Guess you are free to believe whatever data you wish. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/mari...

Did you read that article?

These findings are consistent with the idea of marijuana as a "gateway drug." However, the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, "harder" substances. Also, cross-sensitization is not unique to marijuana. Alcohol and nicotine also prime the brain for a heightened response to other drugs52 and are, like marijuana, also typically used before a person progresses to other, more harmful substances.

It is important to note that other factors besides biological mechanisms, such as a person’s social environment, are also critical in a person’s risk for drug use. An alternative to the gateway-drug hypothesis is that people who are more vulnerable to drug-taking are simply more likely to start with readily available substances such as marijuana, tobacco, or alcohol, and their subsequent social interactions with others who use drugs increases their chances of trying other drugs. Further research is needed to explore this question.

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#39

Post by 21 »

sidcool wrote: post #7

I cannot understand why the Government is not acting against the pharmas profiting from this crisis. And why people are not revolting. There is a clear nexus between pharmas and doctors. Something should be done.

Because in US money speaks:

Between 2006 and 2015, Purdue and other painkiller producers, along with their associated nonprofits, spent nearly nine hundred million dollars on lobbying and political contributions—eight times what the gun lobby spent during that period.

And the revolving door:

He had also enlisted Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, and his associate Bernard Kerik to preëmpt any government crackdown.

Re: The lucrative business of America’s opioid crisis

#40

Post by bfuller »

Alex3917 wrote: post #25
jijji wrote: post #9

Heroin is a Schedule I (in the US) which means no medical benefit, and its a 20 year felony for distributing it. There is also the Federal Analogue Act, 21 U.S.C. § 813, which is supposed to group similar drugs in the same category. So, how do these companies get away with selling analogs of heroin? Shouldn't the people who work there and make money off these opioid drugs be arrested? Why haven't they?

I mean there obviously is a medical benefit to heroin, it's all just arbitrary politics based mostly on graft.

If I recall correctly Germany offers diamorphine opoid maintenance programs. Get daily injections of heroin under medical supervision. Sounds heavenly honestly.
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