DAILY CALLER: In my decades of public service, I’ve never seen anything like the opioid epidemic ravaging our nation right now.
Last year, nearly 50,000 Americans died from overdoses involving opioids. That was an increase of nearly 7,000 from 2016 — which was itself an increase of about 9,000 from 2015. The numbers have been climbing for nearly two decades now, thanks in large part to the introduction of a synthetic drug called fentanyl.
Fentanyl is powerful pain medication — 100 times stronger than morphine — often used as a sedative for large animals. Just 2 milligrams of the substance is lethal to an adult, making it almost as deadly as ricin.
What has made it especially fatal is that it is now often laced into other drugs, such as heroin, pills and even marijuana, without the users knowing it. Narcotics Police have even abandoned field tests of drugs out of fear they may accidentally come into contact with fentanyl.
Take a look at what’s happened in my home state: Ohio has the second-most opioid overdose deaths in the nation last year, with a total of 4,329 deaths, or 39.1 per 100,000 people. The city of Dayton is the birthplace of the Wright Brothers, inventors of flight, but addicts seeking more dangerous highs have helped the city become known as America’s overdose capital — more overdoses occur in Dayton than anywhere else in the nation.
The reason behind this is the same for why there is so much human trafficking in the area: the interchange of Interstate-70 and Interstate-75 lies just outside the city. Smugglers use this highway interchange to move people, guns, and drugs north to Canada, or east to the coast. Almost every drug that gets to New York travels up from the southern border and through Dayton. more here
It would be effective to charge the CEO and Board of Directors of these drug companies as co-conspirators, that turn a blind eye to the “shrinkage” of the inventory of these lethal drugs. At this point they don’t care as long as they are paid for by someone.
Only 50,000 overdose deaths? We have a long way to go. They choose to shoot up hard drugs, they know the consequences, I say let them die!
I don’t care what anyone says. If some goof is stupid enough to mainline some powder or crystalline substance bought from Pooty Tang down the street, that person is likely of no use to society.
And this is a revelation? Drugs have been pouring over the border forever and now that there’s a torrent of illegals coming over every day the drugs come too. The politicians have known this yet cheap labor is more important to them.
Why am I reminded of the Sean Connery movie Outland from the 80’s?
Old Oaks,
I hate that I almost agree with you. Darwin’s theory at work.
But, and this is the big thing – young people are the ones dying. Young people do not have the forethought that maturity brings. They follow their friends. Too many parents have abandoned the care of their children to “the community” or the schools instead of taking a hands-on approach to child rearing.
Children grow up (we hope), but they need to be raised up to make wise decisions. Our society has denigrated adults and religion, two of the prime needs of children.
Our society has also elevated the “working mother”. Stay-at-home moms are under constant bombardment as “not living up to their potential”.
Money, and “self-fulfillment” (or as I call it – selfishness) have crippled the judgment of too many.
Graceia, You said it yourself, parents abandon their kids to “the community.” It’s the, takes a village strategy of raising kids that people like Hillary promote.
Under these circumstances of child rearing, they’re unfortunately a lost hope. By further sheltering them and trying in vain to shield them from the harmful effects of drugs, we perpetuate the problem. These kids, adults or otherwise have no core or foundation to begin with. They will never build one either, but they will continue to drag down society and squeeze out undesirable genes.
GRACEIA & OLD OAKS= BOTH RIGHT!