Gov. Tom Wolf declares 'state of emergency' in Pa. opioid epidemic

[Williamsmith]

Our current model of treating heroin, fentanyl, opiod addiction relies heavily on criminal penalties and a little on rehabilitation. We have pursued this “solution” long enough to show it doesn’t work and costs us too much to continually incarcerate addicts. People don’t realize that addiction costs us in productivity while working professionals struggle with their addictions. These people are members of your community who may be experiencing a gradual loss of participation due to use. They also may not be at the top of their game.....there are surgeons who are addicts. Nursing homes are staffed by addicts. By the time these professionals have suffered enough to die of their “useless existence” they have compromised the health and safety of our children, siblings, parents and us.

So it behooves us as a community to take an active role in their healing. Decriminalizing is the first step. Providing covered rehabilitation follows. Shifting money from incarceration to rehab makes sense. You can’t just wait around for all the addicts to die. That would be like waiting for the cancer cells to stop growing.

[Bang]

Social problems as described have been historically addressed with criminal codes. If you do this or that, you will be subject to the criminal system.

Any addict placed in a locus where availability is zero progresses through the period of Jonesing and then a clean period. To return to the drug after that is a personal choice and therefor a criminal matter, not a medical one.

The latest fad paints all addicts as victims....a typical left approach to everything.

The truth is, people seek ways of getting high, and lot of it has to do with getting laid.

If addicted to pain medication due to medical practice, the paper trail is there to back it up.

Help those who can back it up. The rest are wise guys that brought it on themselves.

[sota]

Exactly what I said. There a are few posters and apparently you are one that ignore science and medicine unless it meets their agenda. Then it's bulletproof.
If you think all those that suffer from addiction are worthless then your own worthlessness far exceeds any addict. What I'm not saying is they should be free of the consiquenses of the actions. I would also guess those soldiers that fight for the USA and come home with an addiction problem are worthless addicts and shoud die?

I feel this argument of yours has gone from straw to full blown wicker man.

[Exbiker]

I feel this argument of yours has gone from straw to full-blown wicker man.

So answer the question the military has a disproportionate amount of addiction especially vets returning from war......should they die?

[Gunsnwater]

You know if we just built the efin wall already and policed it we could stop the drugs coming in. But noooooo! They don't want a solution. They want a problem. Problems are power grabs from the state. More taxes. More restrictions. Leviathon grows.

Everyone here is a 2A constitution m f er. Yet your arguing over stupid shit completely blind to the game. Thats how these azsholez win. Misdirection and division.

I love you people but damn you piss me off some times. Mom hes touching me again. Ahhhh.

Carry on

[vladtepes]

So answer the question the military has a disproportionate amount of addiction especially vets returning from war......should they die?

people have moments of greatness.. and lowness..

I sent my gun to get worked on.. by an upstanding gunsmith.. who is also a war vet.. turns out at some point in his life he CHOSE to become a worthless addict.. my gun ended up in a pawn shop.. thankfully the police got involved and recovered it before it disappeared for good..

the point of that story is this.. it doesn't matter what you did yesterday.. if what you do today is shit.. just like bad people can become good people.. if someone chooses to become a worthless addict.. because thats what they are, worthless... and then they CHOOSES recovery.. good for them.. I wish them the best.. but if they choose to continue to waste away their lives... I wish them the best in meeting the end of the journey sooner than later so the rest of us are not burdened with their existence..

NO ONE doing drugs is stuck doing drugs.. there is help out there.. they CHOOSE to not get help because they care more about getting high, than being good productive citizens.. family members.. etc.. and if you are that person (not you specifically) then I have no sympathy for you..

we have all had low points in our lives.. some of us toughen up and move forward.. and some of us give up.. and fall.. but if you fall and CHOOSE to stay down.. then what? why should I care about those that have given up on themselves.. I have enough of my own problems.. my preference is not to worry about the scum of the earth trying to steal my shit so they can go get high.. while I am working my ass off paying tons in taxes..

again.. I respect that your opinion may differ.. and thats the great thing about our country.. if you want to worry about those people.. more power to you... I will take a pass on that..

[LBaker]

I wonder if some of the keyboard commandos here would be saying the same things if it were their sons or daughters that had a problem. :/

[Emptymag]

I wonder if those with loved ones that have a problem that isn't a direct result of them being a worthless junkie in the first place can see the difference between the two and stop assuming that "we" are calling their loved ones worthless junkies.
There's a difference between the two.

[LBaker]

A friend of mine had a son who was an army vet that came home with addiction issues. They struggled until it became too much... My friend shot his son in the head. a son he loved dearly and then turned the gun on himself. Where's the freaking compassion? Unless you are an addict yourself you'll never understand... And no I don't have addiction issues...

[vladtepes]

I wonder if some of the keyboard commandos here would be saying the same things if it were their sons or daughters that had a problem. :/

maybe you missed it.. but my mom and her brother both died of substance abuse problems.. they died because they were weak.. and chose to turn down help, and continue to get drunk and or high.. unfortunately you can't pick your family.. just like you can't control them.. don't get me wrong.. I loved my mom.. and I do have a ton of good memories.. but there is a key to all this.. and that is personal accountability.. her substance abuse issues didn't occur because she was some victim of a disease.. cancer is a disease.. people with cancer can't wake up tomorrow and decide no more cancer for them.. and stop.. substance abuse is a choice.. a choice that ruins people.. ruins families.. and ruins society.. but still a CHOICE.. and if you ignore help.. family or not.. logic kicks in.. and I will quickly move on as I refuse to be part of someones self induced screwed up reality.. change your mind one day and want help.. I am more than willing to get back involved..

ask ANY addict about being enabled.. the more you support them while they use... the longer they can limp by using.. the deeper they get..

the quicker they hit rock bottom and sink or swim happens.. the better.. as the hole is shallower.. easier to dig out of.. in my experience at least.. forcing these people to make choices.. helps make reality more clear.. my mom never had to make the choice to get better because people that "felt bad for her" were always there to pick up the pieces..