We have been discussing the opiate crisis that is destroying this country and countless families. A vivid display of the hold of these drugs can be found in the arrest of Chadwick Smith in Muncie, Indiana. Smith was arrested after an auto accident where he shot up with heroin while driving — leading to predictably tragic results. It is truly chilling to think of a person actually shooting up while traveling at high speed down a road.
Smith ran into a U-haul trailer after his car crossed the center line. Police state that Smith admitted to going to Dayton, Ohio to purchase the heroin. They found a hypodermic syringe in Smith’s vehicle after the crash.
Smith is now charged with possession of a narcotic drug, unlawful possession of a syringe, driving while intoxicated and public intoxication.
Worst Epidemic in U.S. History? Opioid Crisis Now Leading Cause of Death for Americans Under 50
JUNE 07, 2017
https://www.democracynow.org/2017/6/7/worst_epidemic_in_us_history_opioid
“Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. To put the death toll into perspective, opioid deaths have now surpassed the peak in death by car crash in 1972, AIDS deaths in 1995 and gun deaths in 1993. After 20 years of heavy combat in South Vietnam, U.S. military casualties represented only one-third of the death toll from 10 years of opioid overdoses. Meanwhile, counties and states around the country have filed lawsuits to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the public health crisis. “The United States is in the midst of the worst drug addiction epidemic in its history,” says Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. He is also co-founder and director of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.”
No charge of Careless and Imprudent driving for crossing over the centerline and crashing into another vehicle? No charge of Failure to Maintain a Single Lane?
There is no ‘opiate crisis’ and the non-crisis is not ‘destroying the country’. Street drugs are subject to unpredictable demand cycles which influence drug consumption in conjunction with the efforts of law enforcement. This is not a crisis, it’s just another manifestation of a social condition that appeared in the slums and in bohemia 60-odd years ago and then on college campuses a decade later. It’s a condition, not a crisis. What a wonderful world we live in. Libertarian publicists fancy we do not get enough social hypochondria from liberals determined to leave no social worker behind, so they have to add some of their own. (Ironically, they’re all hostile to law enforcement, who actually might be effective in reducing drug consumption given the staffing).
Are they all hostile to law enforcement in general or the punitive side of law enforcement?
They can be rehabbed, it just is not easy. Expect failures. Before courts were forcing all DUI to go to AA, AA had a success rate of about 50% (self-identified). Now it is down around 20%.
Politicians flock to the issues of opioid overuse and human trafficking like vultures to roadkill. Nobody is in favor of addiction so, it’s the perfect talking point for members of Congress when they’re back in their districts.
Mary Taylor, whose two sons have been addicted, is against opioid misuse and she’s running for Ohio governor. J.D. Vance is in Ohio fighting opioid overdoses. Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman-also against opioid addiction. Ohio has the most deaths associated with opioids. Apparently, politicians are benefitting more from opioid publicity than Ohioans are benefitting from political solutions.
America is in a world of trouble. Addicts, Texting, anything and everything except paying attention while driving a lethal vehicle. These people CANNOT be rehabbed. Why bother. Can we just give them one more injection and take them out of their misery and off our streets?
When self-driving cars get here, we can all sit in the back seat and shoot up, drink up, and text up all the way home.
I don’t mind if he takes his permanent dirt nap.
Annie Machon retweeted
Anonymous 4thEstate
@4thAnon
Jun 1
1988 Frontline Investigation traces CIA’s involvement with drug lords back to the agency’s birth following WW2
https://youtu.be/ZpoahXzt-lM
(“Annie Machon is a former intelligence officer for MI5, the UK Security Service.”)
LEAP’s (Law Enforcement Action Partnership) drug policy:
https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org/our-issues/drug-policy/
Our Principles
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership believes that adult drug abuse is a public health problem and not a law enforcement matter.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership does not promote the use of drugs and is deeply concerned about the extent of drug abuse and drug-related violence worldwide. However, both drug abuse and violence flourish under drug prohibition, just as they did during alcohol prohibition.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership recognizes that drugs can be dangerous and addictive. Reasonable regulation should protect public health and include age restrictions on drug sales and use.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership recognizes that currently illicit drugs pose different risks, requiring different models of regulation. We believe that U.S. states and other nations must be given the regulatory latitude to try new models that balance personal freedom and responsibility with the public health risks of death, disease, and addiction.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership recognizes that it will take time to strike a proper balance, blending private, public, and medical models to best control and regulate currently illicit drugs. Our speakers advocate for a range of strategies in line with their own diverse experiences and political philosophies.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership believes that government has a public health obligation to ascertain and clearly communicate to the public the risks associated with the use of each currently illicit drug.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership argues that as the government ends prohibition, it should release drug offenders, expunge their records, and restore their civil rights. However, we believe that people using alcohol or other drugs must be held accountable for the harms caused to others while under the influence.
The Law Enforcement Action Partnership believes that individuals suffering from drug addiction who seek help should receive support, including drug treatment. We argue that the cost of expanding such services could be financed with a fraction of the criminal justice savings from ending drug prohibition.
Too bad the syringe was removed prior to the crash! Take your own Life if u so choose but leave the rest of Humanity alone!
Turley seems to want to make this guy seem more irresponsible that the idiots that wreck while texting.
Are you serious? Texting while driving is obviously dangerous because the texter doesn’t have his eyes on the road, but texting is over when it’s over. Unlike shooting a drug which, following the distraction of inserting a needle into one’s arm, causes the addict to become high for several hours.
Another causality of the war on drugs.
You certainly don’t see people chugging whiskey while driving,
because they have places called bars to do that at.
Shooting up while driving is much safer (from the cops) that in the parking lot
of the place that you are going to….
He isn’t a ‘casualty of the war on drugs’. He’s just another junkie who cannot be bothered with the law or with good sense.
People don’t try this. Not even once. It’s so addictive. I guess if he goes to prison he won’t be using it there.
Oh, I will take that bet! Drugs are very common inside the joint. Lucrative business for guards and inmates.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I read recently that only 10% of meth users are able to stay clean long-term. I think meth is nastier than heroin, but both are horrible. I wonder what people are thinking the first time they decide to take one of those drugs. Do they not realize that the rest of their life will be a downhill spiral? I can understand someone being prescribed painkillers after surgery and becoming addicted, but WTH are people thinking when they voluntarily choose to take heroin or meth for the first time?
Jane, the best way to keep kids from trying heroin is introducing them to addicts. I knew several heroin junkies in Germany and watching them stumble around in a daze, losing their teeth in their twenties was the best deterrant never to try that drug!
OH State AG prepares to or has already sued opiate manufacturers for causing the opioid addiction crisis. Tucker Carlson did a great interview with the AG last week.
Squeeky, occasionally, such as in this post, you miss the target by a mile. These opiates are legal Rx drugs, though they are not always used legally, and in 2016 killed 51k of your fellow Americans.
Yes, but there isn’t much distinction between making pot legal and then making these drugs legal. Some cities are already providing safe spaces to shoot up, and clean needles. While that may not be “legalizing” them, it sure sends a message to druggies that’s it’s OK.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeek, some years ago I visited my BFF in Basel, Switzerland. We took her daughter to the zoo and when we crossed the street I saw a bunch of folks standing together on a traffic island. I asked what that was about and Geli said “oh, that’s junkie island – they come to receive their clean needles several days a week” I thought that was surreal – junkies surrounded by ordinary folks visiting the zoo?!.
But she had no problem with it – she said heroin users may steal to support their habit, but they are not violent and she thought it was good they had access to clean needles so they could avoid AIDS & hepetitis and not burden the healthcare system.
IMO the Swiss, as well as many other countries like Portugal are being sensible – there are always going to be drug users – why not give them a public space rather than locking them up (taxpayers pay for their prison terms and they still remain addicts). And these countries also offer rehab.
I am for legalizing pot – I have never encountered a violent pot head,but I’ve encountered many hostile drunks.
Squeeky – pot is not a gateway drug but cigarettes and alcohol are.
Well, if drugs weren’t illegal, then this would not have happened! (I am not sure why, but some dope fiends here are certainly going to say that, sooo I am just being a b*tch and beating them to it.)
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter