Great post. Back before the current era of concern about opioid addiction it was estimated that the risk of opioid abuse in people receiving appropriate therapeutic opioids was about the same as the risk of substance abuse in the general population. (About 6% of adults abuse alcohol.)
I do think there are other factors besides trauma and life history that make people prone to addiction although those are very important. One is current life circumstances--if one is jobless, living in a bad neighborhood, in jail, etc substance abuse offers a temporary way out. One is probably biological--for some people the pleasure caused by mind-affecting drugs is particularly intense. Another is availability. Alcohol is the preferred drug of abuse because it's easily available. (Twice the deaths annually compared to opiates.) Most middle and upper class adults would have a hard time getting their hands on illicit opiates, but as the epidemic spreads more and more people know someone who knows someone who can direct them to a pill mill or heroin dealer.
I suspect that a bigger factor in on the job accidents is fatigue and lack of sleep. Not to mention the damage done by sleep-deprived doctors (only doctors in training have their hours restricted) and nurses working doubles and rotating shifts--probably a bigger danger than substance abuse by providers.
I dunno about the original topic, but sure would like to see ANY southeastern state legalize weed. That would be about the most I'd hope for in my lifetime. Somwhere east of the miss. and south of say west va.
"Can't you see..."
Well it's legal in Maryland although they are dragging their damn heels about it. Medical just got on line like 2 weeks ago in a limited rollout and there's no dates set for Rec yet but the voters approved it so it should be coming. That's probably as close as you'll get for a while. Maybe Georgia will come through for you? Or North Carolina? Those would seem to be the only 2 shots if you're not counting Florida.
^I thought it was only medical in MD. I should maybe pay attention, and shit.
I see you damaged yourself, hope you're getting better.
No it's legalized and rec sales should be coming but the politicians are doing everything they can to thwart the will of the people as expressed through the vote. Mass has been doing the same exact thing for about 2 years longer and rec stores are finally supposed to open there this July so maybe Maryland will follow a similar timetable.
And thanks yeah I'm kinda damaged goods but I am feeling better.
Back in HS I had a few beers at lunch and wrote the big power mechnics test, afterwards some one asked Teach what the marks were like ?
Teach said they were pretty bad but there was one perfect score and it was XXX-er, my good buddies pointed out I'd had been drinking, teach said " So ... maybe thats the way to write a test ? "
there were a lot of stoners in that ^^ class including a number of very good drug dealers
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
Still waiting for Truckee to come up with a plan. The current "emergency" ordinance bans all marijuana sales--medical and rec--including delivery which has been the only way to get it in the past. Don't know if my dispensary is still delivering (a vape cartridge lasts me forever). The jackasses on town council think they're keeping weed out of Truckee--per capita use is probably as high here as anywhere in the country. Meanwhile Sacramento was open for business for rec on day 1. Might have to drive down there.
Why would you drive from Truckee to Sac just for a vape cart?
Less distance/money to hit Reno where all weed products are much better tested for clean.
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I believe the distinction needs to lie in what drugs are more likely to make a person react violently toward others. I don't mean by way of simply driving while intoxicated, since that is already quite illegal in every capacity. Whereas alcohol, weed, and even some of the hard stuff can alter ones behavior to a certain extent, there is quite a difference in how one reacts to say, Bath Salts. That stuff's screwed up and can too often cause a person to react with violence.
Personally, I'm for federal decriminalization of ALL substances (not necessarily "legalization"), and then leave it up to the states what they want to bother dealing with.
Why can't these things be decided based on facts?
It's cheaper to put chronic homeless people up in cheap apartments than it is to care for them on the streets.
They go to the ER less. They commit less petty crimes. They aren't pissing in the street, scaring the citizens, pooping in the parks or angering business owners.
They have better access to mental health treatment, medical care. Stability allows some to even improve their lives, hold down jobs, etc etc..
And it costs less money!
Why are we so stuck on punishment... or worried about someone getting something for free?
It fucking sucks to be homeless. It fucking sucks to be an addict. Those people have terrible lives. Nobody just chooses to be that.
So why can't we make policy.. drug policy, social service policy based on what has been proven.. evidence based, like look at the success the heroin clinics have had in Europe for example...
Why are we so stuck in this pseudo-Christian punishment mode?
What is best for society is for the majority to be productive members of society. Let's work on that instead of focusing on the failures of people born with the deck stacked against them...
Ohh and fuck you skicougar.
oxycotin?
Stoners with good intentionations but litttle capacibility to speil rite;
I keep looking at the "Where Do You Draw The Line On Drug Legality?" thread title and seeing " Where Do You Draw The Line On Drug Quality ? "
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
Money makes the world go round. It always has and always will.
"I don't pretend to have all the answers, and I think there's something to be said for that" -One For The Road
Brain dead and made of money.
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