How could this happen?
I saw that ‘rainbow fentanyl’ pill story and it reminded me of something I’ve wanted to say that might help parents and their kids avoid disaster. I left it as a comment, but decided I’d spiff it up a bit and make it my first story.
It’s hard to believe I need to include this bit, but the data says I do:
Fentanyl and its ilk are not being brought in by migrants, however much Ted Cruz wants to make it so. I’m just going to cut to the chase: we have a public health crisis in America that we are not facing up to honestly. Some measures in the right direction have been made, but are nowhere near what is needed to bring it to an end, or more accurately a much less damaging steady state.
There is demand, and the supply is in America, and it’s going to get here somehow. It always has, and it always will. However many piles of intercepted illicit substances you see stacked on a law enforcement table, however much hyperbolic “enough to kill every, man, woman and child x times over” you hear. That isn’t helpful; those who make those kinds of statements should stop.
Don’t take my word for it. The statistics (that is to say, our friends, kids, loved ones who are no longer with us) speak for themselves.
That’s a larger conversation that must take place. This is really addressed to parents of kids out there. I’m describing as accurately as I can a scenario showing how your child could end up taking fentanyl, and what you can do to stop it. I consider this a ‘band-aid.’ The current situation is really dangerous and getting worse:
Years ago, me and/or my wife might encounter someone, usually younger who was using pills (OxyContin, Vicodin, whatever) and, trying to be helpful, would try to make sure they knew “you know, that’s an opiate like heroin and…”
And invariably, they’d push back angrily “oh no, it’s nothing like that…”
They really had convinced themselves that the pills they were using were no big deal, and it was impossible to get through to them that they’d have withdrawal after even pretty short periods of use. They did not want to hear it. I think that’s one of the hidden dangers of the stigma that’s associated with drug use, and particularly the much demonized junkie. No wonder they’d want to put as much distance as possible between their self-image and that.
Worse, these days they might (or whoever they got the pills from) insist it is Valium or some other benzo (benzodiazepines, e.g. Xanax, Ativan, etc.), when in fact it’s fentanyl. Assume the worst: it’s always fentanyl unless proven otherwise. Safe as can be when there is zero quality control. Well, see also: xylazine as a possible adulterant nowadays.
So, please be aware of this, however you discuss this sort of thing with your kids. And maybe consider telling them that if they ever find themselves in a situation where they’ve screwed up somehow — this is common: the pill guy or gal (who sometimes doesn’t know what they’re really selling in those pills until it’s too late) runs out, they do indeed have withdrawal symptoms within a day or two, but they have to go to school, etc. And pill guy or gal says, well this will get you over the next couple of days (regular dope/fentanyl), and they’re panicked enough… that’s how these things can go from bad to far worse.
And the very last thing in the world they want is for their parents to find out and be disappointed - this is where you might consider “well, don’t screw up, but if you do you can and should come to us for help”, because that’s going to be the best off-ramp you’ll ever have. Get them through what amounts to a nasty flu, and make sure they know: as bad as that felt, this is the easiest it will ever be. It gets harder. A lot harder. This is the time to stop.
Full disclosure: we had no kids, and never married (but S.O. is clumsy). Two depressives, no, we’re not taking that chance. So take this advice with that grain of salt. But if knowing this can help anyone, it was worth it.