How the fentanyl crisis' fourth wave has hit every corner of the US

Post by 15457345234 » Sun, Sep 17, 2023, 11:49 AM UTC

vuln wrote: post #17

minerva23 wrote: post #14

On a micro level, I live in the US and I don't know anyone who takes fentanyl. "Every corner" is likely journalistic hyperbole.

Brown heroin doesn’t exist anymore. It’s all fent, they’re even cutting coke with fent which makes absolutely no sense to me. It started with oxys until the gov cracked down then everyone went to brown heroin until fent arrived. Report of Fentanyl in coke circa 2018. https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/BUL-039-18.p... https://www.npr.org/2021/07/05/1013203805/party-drugs-are-be...

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Sep 17, 2023, 11:50 AM UTC

0xCAP wrote: post #10

Non US person here, so feel free to call me out on BS. IMHO people who do fentanyl already have pretty serious mental and/or existential issues going on, like who tf would play russian roulette like that? Sounds more like a societal problem than a mere drug distribution regulation problem to me.

Post by gymbeaux » Sun, Sep 17, 2023, 11:51 AM UTC

Waterluvian wrote: post #34

withinboredom wrote: post #24

I had to get a colonoscopy and be awake for the whole thing. They gave me fentanyl (my first and only time ever experiencing this drug) for the procedure. I have very fond memories of the entire experience, which is extremely disconcerting considering what was going on at the time. This drug probably shouldn’t exist imho.

It feels like somewhere along the way we declared discomfort and pain to be an invalid human state that should not exist and therefore must be dutifully banished at whatever cost. Maybe it’s okay if a colonoscopy sucks.

Post by danielbln » Sun, Sep 17, 2023, 11:52 AM UTC

roflc0ptic wrote: post #8

drug-freedom wrote: post #2

Fentanyl needs to be made legal and sold at grocery stores. In 2-for-1 packs, fentanly+narcan, at affordable prices. Even better, subsidized prices for poor people which can't afford it. That would solve the fentanyl problem, which is solely due to it being illegal and impure. More generally, all drugs need to be decriminalized and sold at affordable prices and pharma-grade quality.

I used to share a similar position until I realized: drugs are bad, actually, and there should be substantial friction in making them available to people. Disincentivizing drug consumption is a good thing. The war on drugs obviously leads to some absurdities - e.g. drug cartels, unnecessary incarceration - and I much prefer the Portuguese model. But making fentanyl in particular available in the grocery store would b…

Post by heavyset_go » Sun, Sep 17, 2023, 11:53 AM UTC

tyingq wrote: post #9

One thing you can do is have some narcan (naloxone) on hand. It's available without a prescription at national brand pharmacies. Many insurance plans have a $0 copay for it, almost all would be under $20. Useful even if you don't know anyone in your life that would use fentanyl. There's any number of situations where it could happen.