The Meth Epidemic--An Insider's View

[Jackpine Radical]

I spent more than 13 years as the chief regional psychologist for Community Corrections in a sparsely-populated, mostly rural 16-county region of northwest WI, the area of the state with the highest number of meth arrests in the state--not the highest number per capita, but the highest number.

I did psychological evaluations of many of these meth users. In general, they tend to have histories of incredible abuse, neglect, and trauma, and seek meth because it is a cheap way to commit slow suicide while keeping themselves in a state in which they don't feel the pain of their miserable lives. Unfortunately, they often destroy other lives while in the process of destroying their own.

I am now in private psychological practice, largely as a forensic expert. Yesterday I got called in on another meth case. A young woman, the product of abusive, alcoholic, and drug-addicted parents, killed somebody with her car. She will go to prison, and I have no quarrel with that. But neither in prison nor later in the community will she get anything like effective treatment. There are no programs, there is no funding now, and there will still be no funding when she gets out of prison, barring some miracle, like, for instance, the creation in America of a universal health care program.

The way to treat meth abuse is to detox them for about 6 months and start them into a program of PTSD treatment to start alleviating the daily agony they feel in the course of merely existing. The way to prevent meth addiction is to treat, or preferably prevent, the abuse of children in dysfunctional families. In other words, the only thing that will end the meth problem is a humane program of health care and family intervention, both of which are unavailable in our harsh, brutal, social-Darwinian culture of callousness.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. How are meth users different from oxycontin abusers, or some heroin addicts?

In my nonclinical experience, there have been many who also have histories or abuse or neglect or some other experience that makes them want to dull the pain.

[Warpy]

4. Meth is about the worst drug out there

in terms of damage to body systems. That's the main thing that makes them different. Add to that the toxic psychosis that heavy users will develop, and you have a very different clinical picture right down the line.

Opiates are relatively kind to body systems. What gets opiate addicts into trouble are the lack of quality control in the purity of their drug and what that drug might be cut with at the street level to generate quicker profits.

I agree with the post above. What meth addicts need is 6 months of inpatient detox followed by intensive psychotherapy for PTSD. Nothing else will work.

[Gormy Cuss]

10. Thanks, Warpy.

I realize that meth is a nastier drug; I was wondering about the comment about the background of desperation aspect.

[Warpy]

23. I knew people who were on top of the world who tried heroin on a dare

and never wanted to do anything else with their lives. I know people who were the same for all drugs of abuse. I also know that when I tried them, it was a big groan and my own life was in the toilet back then.

I think it boils down to brain chemistry, more than anything else.

People who use meth tend not to be able to afford cocaine. That's why their stories always look so grisly before they started meth. They started out poor and stymied by a lack of opportunity. If they'd started out rich, they'd be at Betty Ford for a fine wine and coke habit.

[madokie]

37. I've known of many meth users in my age group around here who aren't here anymore

they're all dead, some as young as mid 30's. it was sad to see these people who some used to be my friends destroy themselves this way. When I get up each morning I think my lucky stars for not letting me like the stuff myself. it only makes me feel good for a few minutes then like hell for days coming down off it. I can count the times I'm done it on one hand btw

[Jackpine Radical]

6. I think you're right; however, because meth is such a terrible drug,

only the most desperate tend to turn to it. While many or most abusers of alcohol, etc. are "self-medicating" the psychological symptoms of their crappy pasts, the meth heads seem to be in a class by themselves.

What I said of treating meth addiction via treatin the PTSD is generally true of the other addictions as well.

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Thanks. I know meth is in a class by itself in terms of how the addiction plays out but

oxy and heroin were the low income rural/small town drugs of choice for a few years and I know that heroin is a pretty nasty habit to kick especially if you're poor. I find it interesting that you saw even more desperation among meth users --hadn't read that observation before.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Oxycotin? That's not a cheap high, is it?

[Gormy Cuss]

15. If you steal it, it is.

That was the preferred procurement method as I recall.

[JacquesMolay]

60. Heroin addicts just sit around nodding off, for one thing...

.... Meth users are charged up - they can go out and do some real damage.

[hedgehog]

2. But, but but, everyone knows that if you use it once, you're hooked forever.

I wonder how much of the (mis)information about meth is based on the fact that it is perceived as the addiction of low class people. I love the snobbery of the drug culture; Ecstasy, inhaled heroin and cocaine are high class; meth, injected heroin and crack are low class. Somehow the drugs in the first set are recreational while people get hooked on drugs from the second set.

[lies and propaganda]

13. its an epidemic here in Az and I truly believe that.

One time and youre screwed.

[Jackpine Radical]

29. I have met some people who reported that they were hooked on the first try--

and others who left the drug relatively easily after 2 or 3 years of abuse. I don't know what the critical factors are in determining which reaction it will be.

[liberalmuse]

3. I really appreciate your compassionate commentary..

This drug terrifies me, because I've known wonderful people who have rehabilitated their lives after a long period of meth addiction, and others who have sunk into the hell of meth abuse, and lost everything. These are sane, functional people who end up on the streets and in horrific situations. It is true that family abuse makes some people suseptible. Thank you.

[Swamp Rat]

5. Thank you very much for what you do.

:hug:

[Jackpine Radical]

7. And thank you, 'Rat. For the same reason.

[Swamp Rat]

16. I just read about Methamphetamine at Wikipedia

As a boy I spent many hours reading pill charts in my dad's office (DEA, university, hospitals, etc.), and charts about every drug imaginable, but I did not know much about the more recent manifestation of Methamphetamine, like the smokable form of the drug, "crystal meth." I did not realise how dangerous it is to produce - scary! I have, though, come in contact with meth users before and I hope to never again... which, unfortunately, is unlikely. That drug turns people into real zombies. I hope we find a way to fix this disaster. They need both long-term (lifetime), intensive mental and physical therapy. They need social justice, not prison.

Poor souls.

[EFerrari]

8. My youngest went through a great 12 mo residential program.

He made it!

And then, he went to work for this outfit as a "counselor". Long hours, low pay, lots of stress.

After about nine months, he went out again. And he's been out there since, about three years now if he's still anywhere. I wouldn't know. He is ashamed and doesn't return my calls.

There, as far as I can tell, was no abuse in our family although, there was a divorce and children can experience a divorce as abuse. But, we hit the DNA jackpot so even lessor traumas can at times tip us over.

He'll be back but it will be no thanks to the culture at large, let alone people who should know so much better.

[KittyWampus]

12. Oh dear. I hope he 'wakes up' sooner rather than later.

:hug:

[Swamp Rat]

17. Oh dear!

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[EFerrari]

18. I believe in my son and in his own love for life. But what I learned was

if these precious lives are brought back from the brink of destruction, they shouldn't be immediately recycled, shouldn't be tasked with the sobriety of others so soon.

[Swamp Rat]

20. Yes

Peer counseling can be good if it is closely monitored by professional staff, but it can, nevertheless, end up a disaster.

:hug:

[Marrah_G]

24. I'm so sorry you are going through this

As a parent I can only imagine the hell of not knowing where your child is. I truly hope you hear from him.

[PeaceNikki]

14. Thank you. The only "war on drugs" should be treatment and care.

I have a friend who's a crack addict. He's been that way for... gosh, 15 years. He has thrown away every good thing he's had in life and has lost the ability to be happy in his life.

I don't know if he'll ever get clean, but he sure has a lot less chance without access to proper detox and treatment. Right now all he can do is try to work enough to feed his high, then lament in guilt that drives him deeper. The 7-day detox programs don't help people like him.

[bleedingheart]

19. My meth addict cousin fathered a child during one of his "breaks"

now he and his demented girlfriend are raising a little girl that they will undoubtably screw up. At the baby shower the general opinion was that she should give the baby up for adoption...but of course no one wanted to tell her that.

His immediate family has no money for proper detox so he will spiral out of control.

My cousin grew up not in an abusive home but in a home where there was no parenting...basically his mother let her children run amok because she herself was too young to have had any and has openly talked about the fact that she really never wanted kids..."but shit happens"...it is a tragedy...

[Jackpine Radical]

30. Deprivation of attachment & bonding experiences in the 1st 2 years of life

constitutes the most devastating variety of abuse. Those young brains need the experience of love, nurturance & interaction with a caregiver in order to develop normally.

"...basically his mother let her children run amok because she herself was too young to have had any and has openly talked about the fact that she really never wanted kids..."but shit happens""

[MLFerrell]

21. The way to treat meth addicition is to legalize methamphetamine for recreational use.

Same as any other drug, including heroin. Pharmaceutical methamphetamine use is not even remotely associated with the remarkably destructive consequences of illicit, clandestine "addiction" as you call it. Yeah, I know, you're a mere +1 headshrinker (psychologist) as opposed to a +2 headshrinker (psychiatrist), but surely you've seen the epidemiological studies of stimulant abusers under varying circumstances. Those who use (abuse?) their stimulant drugs of choice under quasi-medical supervision invariably don't present with the potentially fatal vast litany of physical and psychological issues that so-called "street" users of the same do.

"...the only thing that will end the meth problem..."

The ONLY thing that will end the meth (or any other pharmacological) problem is blanket legalization of intoxicants, coupled with free universal medical care.

Yeah, I know, your anecdotal experience tends to indicate that meth users are somehow a "different breed", but I can assure you, were you not in the Mid-West, you'd see remarkably similar patients to those you think of, only hooked on coke in South Florida, Oxycontin in Appalachia, crack in the Northeastern cities, etc. etc.

That's my $0.02...

[fed-up]

53. will you volunteer to/pay clean up the highly toxic undisclosed former meth lab on my property? nt

[MLFerrell]

54. What does that have to do with anything that I said?

And no. I believe that I remember your OP about this a while back. In my view, YOUR fault for not being more diligent in researching a major purchase. You want someone to pay? Get a lawyer, and sue your unscrupulous real estate agent.

[fed-up]

61. obviously you know little of the toxic hell the meth cookers leave behind

the law is very clear about sellers that willfully commit fraud through nondisclosure of hazardous materials that may be on property

seller knew it would kill the sale and chose not to disclose

obviously you know nothing about calif real estate law either


by any chance are you a user of meth???

[MLFerrell]

62. "...the law is very clear..."

And what exactly does the law say? That it's *OK* for the seller to NOT disclose the contamination?

Because if that's NOT the case, then this ---> "seller knew it would kill the sale and chose not to disclose" would be prima facie illegal. Regardless, I don't see how any of this would prevent you from filing a civil suit.

"obviously you know nothing about calif real estate law either"

Nope. Wouldn't set foot in that state on a bet. WVians may be crazy rednecks, but from what I've seen CA is much worse when it comes to the crazies.

"by any chance are you a user of meth???"

That I won't dignify with a response.

[Gregorian]

22. More than anything, America needs to embrace this kind of thinking.

This sentiment is compassionate. Caring. Instead, what we have is wreckless abandonment and disrespect. It's an invented hierarchy of careless power. We ignore. And for some reason we think this kind of behavior might make for a better situation.

Things happen for reasons. But people seem to think that punitive actions can cure. You can't fill an empty hole with punishment.

I've been watching this facet of America just the way I've watched politics. With complete disbelief. I think it's fear and ignorance. People fear the different. Those with teeth missing, and an empty stare. And they don't formulate their own ideas through imagination and empathy. They defer their decision making to those who work in the system. And those people often just do what they do for a job. Not to make this a better world.

I don't know. I just find it hard to fathom how many years this has gone on. From witch hunts to drugs to terrorism.

All I can say is thank you for what I believe is a caring and knowledgeable position you have embraced.

[Kurovski]

25. K&R. (nt)

[NuttyFluffers]

26. all the more reason i support legalization of marijuana...

it's an incomplete cure, knowing that these people really need counseling for their PTSD, but it's a far better stop-gap measure to prevent the horrors of today. i have no faith in america in doing the right thing in getting single payer healthcare providing psychological counseling and therapy to rehabilitate people who need to self-medicate to survive the day. but i am perfectly fine with switching out a crappy drug like this with something far less destructive. cheaper, grows easily, no danger of explosion, no excessive processing needed, less footprint on environment, less toxic to the body, no real/rare mood swings dangerous to others, i think legalizing pot would be a reasonable compromise than letting the meth epidemic continue.

but someone is profiting from all this in the halls of power, so this will never end in america. well, never, until the very last minute. because america tends to be the country that does the right thing only when the last alternative is self-destruction.

[Jackpine Radical]

31. Meth really took off when the cocaine supply got tightened up due to enforcement.

Yeah, I believe in legalization of pot plus at least decriminalization of coke. We can never end the drug epidemic through prohibition. All that does is provide price supports for the dealers. Legalization/decriminalization & control would be much more effective.

I have never seen the problems from pot that I have from alcohol. Other than the legal problems brought on by outlawing it. Should school kids be using pot? No. They shouldn't be drinking either, but we don't flip out quite so much over the little drinkers.

[Fly by night]

33. A NIDA-funded research report showed that meth became a problem in Hawaii ...

... precisely when the government started cracking down on marijuana growing. We have seen the same thing here in Tennessee.

Also, persons who are being drug-tested (for employment, or as a condition of probation/parole) soon learn that hard drugs like meth, cocaine or even heroin are not detected after about 48 hours, while marijuana can be detected for much longer periods of time. So people who formerly didn't use those drugs are pushed toward them by the same criminal justice system that ranks pot as more hazardous (and with less medical value) than cocaine and meth. No wonder the problem is growing.

[NuttyFluffers]

48. wow, a gov't study showing almost direct correlation? that should be huge!

i normally used gov't data whenever i would debate merits of prohibition laws, and NIDA was always a relatively solid source (well, until recently when everything under the sun is being classified out of spite). but i didn't catch this study. it'd be great to get a link for everyone; something showing direct correlation of people switching from a relatively benign drug, pot, to a far more dangerous one, meth, should be excellent ammunition in further debates. it gets harder and harder to truly argue for the continuance of such bad public policy...

[Fly by night]

52. Here's a summary of the research by Dr. Patricia Morgan, UC-Berkeley

(BTW -- NIDA has buried this research report (surprise, surprise). You might want to contact Dr. Morgan directly for a copy of the full report.)


From The Hawaii Tribune Herald
[e-mail]
http://www.hilohawaiitribune.com/
By Chris Loos
ANTI-POT EFFORTS BOOST ICE USE
July 25, 2002

Marijuana eradication in Hawaii contributed to the increase in the use of the drug "ice," according to a government study.

An aide to Mayor Harry Kim is scheduled to meet today with the principal investigator of the three - year study for the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The study gathered information from 450 methamphetamine users in Honolulu, San Francisco and San Diego.

"It's the first study ever done that interviewed users in the community," said study leader Patricia Morgan.

Morgan, associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley, was vacationing in Kona when she learned that Kim's executive assistant, Billy Kenoi, wanted to meet with her to discuss the report. Kenoi is helping to organize a "meth summit" on the Big Island next month.

Morgan's 1994 report, some 200 pages long, found that the California methamphetamine users were more likely to snort or inject the drug, while 86 percent of the Hawaii users smoked the crystal form.

"The use of ice in Honolulu had led to particularly serious physical and psychological problems and significant social disruption in poor working communities where it replaced marijuana, which had become scarce and expensive due to eradication policies," states the report's four - page executive summary. The summary noted that the "overwhelming majority" of meth users in Honolulu began using the drug after 1984.

Marijuana eradication missions on the Big Island began in the late 1970's, said Capt. James Day from the Hawaii County Police Department.

The methamphetamine report noted several influences on the "tremendous growth" of ice in Hawaii after 1987.

"Residents were both pushed away from pakalolo, their staple drug of choice, and pulled toward ice by a well organized marketing campaign by Asian distributors," the report said.

"Also, the overwhelming smokeable drug of choice, marijuana or pakalolo, which has been grown and used throughout the islands for many years, became the target of a government eradication campaign.

"This drove up prices, drastically reduced availability and left locals without their customary, and many would say, relatively benign, smoke."

[AlecBGreen]

27. IIRC

Meth works by literally destroying small portions of the brain which control emotions and pleasure, flooding the brain temporarily with all the stored chemical goodies. Once they come down, users have less capacity for "feeling good" or feeling anything for that matter. Long time abusers destroy their very capacity for having any feeling at all. What a horrible drug.

My friend worked for Frontline, a division of NPR which created a 4-part series on Methamphetamines. Its a well made documentary, free for download and I cant recomend it enough. It will really wake you to the reality of meth abuse in this country.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/view/

-Alec

[Jackpine Radical]

28. You pretty much have it right.

Meth attacks the dopaminergic system, particularly in the frontal regions. Whether the brain ever recovers from the damage is not yet clear.

[H2O Man]

32. Nominated.

Thank you for sharing this. It is very interesting.

[Fly by night]

34. Here's information on a successful state meth intervention program I helped implement in Wyoming.

This article was published by the US Department of Justice on our efforts there: "The Wyoming Methamphetamine Initiative: The Power of Informed Process"

www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/186266.pdf

I remain proud of that work in Wyoming, even though I am no longer working as a substance abuse researcher, given my conviction in a federal medical marijuana case. (For more information, see this link)

http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Cover_Story/2007/04/26/Marijuana_Martyr/index.shtml


Let me rephrase that. I remain proud of both my work to reduce methamphetamine use in Wyoming and to provide medical marijuana to sick and dying Tennesseans. Folks who cannot distinguish between methamphetamine and marijuana should not make drug policy in this country.

[Bongo Prophet]

36. I read your story. You are a hero.

I encourage everyone on this thread to check out these links.
Take the natural substances out of the legal system, free the political prisoners and we will be a long way toward a more humane approach.

If ANYBODY deserves full pardon, it is you sir.

http://www.saveberniesfarm.com/

[Fly by night]

38. Thanks so much for your sentiments. It makes my legal limbo much more tolerable.

I am alternating time at the computer with watering my garden today, waiting and hoping to hear about employment in my field (that has been interrupted for the past two years.) Your sentiments are much appreciated.

[Hawkeye-X]

39. Hi!

:hi:

I was hoping you'd come around. I had followed your story for a long time, and I'm really impressed with your work. I know living in a halfway house and almost losing your house was tough. I'm glad everything stayed together!

Good luck in your future..

Recovering MJ addict

Hawkeye-X

[Fly by night]

42. Thanks. Unfortunately, the fight to save my farm isn't over yet.

The government is still pursuing its effort to confiscate my 187 acre farm, so that fight continues. I do appreciate all the support that I have received here in Tennessee and across the country (indeed, around the planet). Maybe the feds will take that into consideration as they ponder whether to take me to trial in their continung effort to confiscate my farm over less cannabis than they still provide each year to each one of their remaining federally "legal" medical marijuana patients. We'll see....

I note you describe yourself as a "recovering mj addict". What prompted you to quit, how did you do it and how hard was it to do? If you don't mind, I would also be interested in how long you've been clean and whether you were also addicted to other substances besides mj. If you want to PM me to answer these questions, that's fine. But others here might be interested in your experience (strength and hope) as well.

Thanks again for your support.

[Hawkeye-X]

49. To tell you the truth..

I am still an addict, but I had to quit using pot because I'm on probation for an unrelated offense. The real reason I use marijuana was because of its natural sedative effect on me - I have a history of sleeping issues, and have found marijuana to be very helpful. When I showed up dirty on my last UA (June 17), the court is planning to revoke my probation and possibly put me to jail. I just finished a visit with my attorney to try to stave off that issue. I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow to get off Ambien (also a controlled but legal prescription) to try to get on something that is not narcotic, but rather a simple but strong sedative to help me sleep. I am also trying to get into rehab before I go to court next month so it shows that I have the motivation to stay clean for the rest of my probation (I had about 90 days left before I relapsed - before that I was 19 months clean). It sucks, but that's what I have to do, and right now I'm exactly 6 weeks clean, and counting. The Ambien has been a great help, honestly, but the rehab won't allow me to use Ambien when I'm there, so that's why the switch.

I hope this explains it all, and before that, I used marijuana just to get high and to "escape from the real world" but I don't do that anymore. I've already faced my problems and dealt with it the right way. I am also seeing a therapist, who himself, is a recovering alcoholic and a well-known author of many books about addictive behavior. He has held my hands for the past 3 years, and will continue to do so - I'm seeing him today to tell him about my options with the attorney - he has and will continue to support my goal of staying clean. Funny thing - I didn't even know he was an ex-Republican when we started to talk politics, and he hates Chimp with a passion too. I've been on probation for 5 years and it'll probably be extended further, depending on court.

Gosh, I guess this revelation has somewhat lightened off my load. I've been in rehab, halfway house, shared living arrangements, etc. It's just all a pain in the ass, but I'm trying to get it done, and my parents who has been supporting me are tired of it as well.

Hawkeye-X

[Fly by night]

67. A belated response (sorry for the delay)

I was very sorry to hear about your situation, though it is unfortunately all too common. I am particularly sorry since you were so close to getting off probation, after five long years. Personally, I found that daily use of marijuana (for fibromyalgia-related sleep problems and pain from degenerative joint disease in my hips and spine) did not interfere with my work, family and social responsibilities the way that alcohol and cocaine once did. (I have been clean and sober for 13 years, five months and 26 days -- and proud to be counting).

But, just like you, getting caught with a "dirty" urine from cannabis would bring a world of legal hurt into my life these days. So I don't use and haven't for over four years now. That doesn't mean that I no longer want to -- I know the benefits and the pleasures of cannabis use and do miss them. But unlike some substances, cannabis is one that is pretty easy to leave alone, particularly when the legal consequences are so serious. So good luck with whatever comes next.

Just keep repeating our shared First Step: "We admitted we were powerless over the government which has made our lives (and the lives of hundreds of thousands of others guilty of wearing 'illegal smiles') unmanageable."

[MLFerrell]

55. Recovering Marijuana Addict?

:rofl:

You're kidding, right? No seriously, you HAVE to be joking.

[formercia]

35. What about the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Many are issued Amphetamines by the military.

Nothing like having Amphetamine psychosis and being involved with killing people.


Now there's PTSD to the MAX.

What happens to these people when they come home?

I was robbed by 5 meth freaks with guns once. Now, that was scary. I'm surprised they didn't kill me.

[EFerrari]

44. That's a very important and sobering point.

:(

[NMDemDist2]

40. my idiot congressman's answer to Meth and my response.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Steve Pearce held meetings at Hagerman High School and Dexter High School to further press education on the scourge of methamphetamines. These visits mark the most recent of over 40 Pearce led methamphetamine awareness tours dating back to August of last year.

Rep. Pearce has introduced legislation on the federal level to form an online drug dealer registry. The bill, H.R. 304 the CLEAN TOWN Act of 2007, would require convicted drug dealers to have their personal information added to an online database in order to provide families and law enforcement agencies with the information needed to safeguard their loved ones from falling into the depths of drug addiction. The bill mimics the sex offender registry already in place.

After the two events Rep. Pearce commented:

"We must keep a strong emphasis on the struggle to prevent drug addiction in our communities. Meth is a killer and will ruthlessly overtake individuals and homes. By spreading knowledge about meth to our youth we will hopefully help a generation come closer to living free from addiction.

"I am continuing my pursuit of a meth free New Mexico by working with local communities, law enforcement agencies, and individuals who are equally as committed to safeguarding our towns and protecting our families from methamphetamines."




my response:

While I agree that Meth is a scrouge in our communities, I have a couple of concerns about this proposed legislation "The Clean Town Act"

First, I fear that advertising drug dealers on the internet may have some unintended consequences. It would allow people in search of drugs to find them with a simple internet search.

In my little town of Carlsbad, everyone knows where the drug houses are, especially the police, so I am seeing a downside to this idea that may outweigh the small upside of informing parents.

Also, while pedophila has no know cure, addiction does. I'm thinking the money spent on your internet data base may be better spent financing more treatment options and education in our rural communities.

I continue to support any means of furthering education and recovery efforts against drugs in our town, but truly don't think HR 304 is the best use of money and manpower.

Sincerely yours,
AZDD6

[YOY]

41. I find it odd that this drug is attacking white rural America that the RW folks aren't more vocal

But the DEA (and their stupid little puritan agenda) prefers to make anti-marijuana commercials that rival soviet propaganda in their ludicrousness instead of treating these addicts.

It's not like it would hurt the to stup focusing on pot and moreso on real addiction let alone creating a system that treats meth addiction instead of jailing the addicts and sets them on their way with a better life.

This isn't propaganda. This is what the drug does to people: http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/MethResources/faces/index.html

You can't make up s*** like that. After numerous years of pot usage I dare say Tommy Chong looks the same.

[NuttyFluffers]

50. doesn't completely surprise me. in RW view, white rural america is just there to be abused...

RW would see white rural america as just the rubes who make efficient attack dogs. they assume they will be easily cowed by a threat, easily whipped up into a frenzy w/ red meat, and otherwise wholly obedient hounds. it would make sense to demonize marijuana to ridiculous levels, because it would feed off of age-old messages of xenophobia and racism that they assume is still in the white rural community. atop that, these are merely dogs who do what they are told; they can be easily kicked repeatedly, as in letting the meth scourge destroy their world, and they'd only come back begging for forgiveness. it's a cruel mindset, and i do eagerly await the day when white rural america finally gets pissed off enough to bite the hand that beats them. but i don't think that time is right here just yet.

[YOY]

63. In addition after a little thought I considered one of the ways to recover

Actually, the most heavily reccomended way to recover in our society is the 12-step program. I consider the 12-step program to be religious indoctrination.

What's another rural white American cleaning up and finding Jesus to the right wing? Another voter who blames the liberals and votes how reverend Jimmy Joe Bob told him to. more fundies in the wings.

[NuttyFluffers]

66. feedback loops are a beautiful thing to reactionaries

and i think you found a major one.

reactionaries feed off of human misery, all the while spurring their followers by misery, and attacking their enemies by blaming them as the causes of such misery.

it's also hard to sell hope and forgiveness to desperate people who feel a need to atone and recover a sense of self-worth, even if it means at the expense of others.

[mzmolly]

43. Alcoholism has a similar path I believe. Self medicating is a common form of

"escape." And, as you note, the pattern continues. Poverty, abuse, mental illness, all contribute.

I agree with your solution. the only thing that will end the - problem is a humane program of health care and family intervention, both of which are unavailable in our harsh, brutal, social-Darwinian culture of callousness.

Interesting that social Darwinism can be linked to Republican political philosophy huh? :(

[Jackpine Radical]

46. "Social darwinism--"

The irony wasn't lost on me.

[BrotherBuzz]

45. Why don't you contact Martha Stewart and light a fire under her butt.

She sure talked a good line a few years ago, but it appears she has lost interest in this topic.
"And that's a good thing". Not.


December 22, 2004
Letter from Martha Stewart

12/24/04 Letter from Martha Stewart
I beseech you all to think about these women -- to encourage the American people to ask for reforms, both in sentencing guidelines, in length of incarceration for nonviolent first-time offenders, and for those involved in drug-taking. They would be much better served in a true rehabilitation center than in prison where there is no real help, no real programs to rehabilitate, no programs to educate, no way to be prepared for life "out there" where each person will ultimately find herself, many with no skills and no preparation for living.

12/22/04
Dear Friends,

When one is incarcerated with 1,200 other inmates, it is hard to be selfish at Christmas -- hard to think of Christmases past and Christmases future -- that I know will be as they always were for me -- beautiful! So many of the women here in Alderson will never have the joy and wellbeing that you and I experience. Many of them have been here for years -- devoid of care, devoid of love, devoid of family.

I beseech you all to think about these women -- to encourage the American people to ask for reforms, both in sentencing guidelines, in length of incarceration for nonviolent first-time offenders, and for those involved in drug-taking. They would be much better served in a true rehabilitation center than in prison where there is no real help, no real programs to rehabilitate, no programs to educate, no way to be prepared for life "out there" where each person will ultimately find herself, many with no skills and no preparation for living.

I am fine, really. I look forward to being home, to getting back to my valuable work, to creating, cooking, and making television. I have had time to think, time to write, time to exercise, time to not eat the bad food, and time to walk and contemplate the future. I've had my work here too. Cleaning has been my job – washing, scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming, raking leaves, and much more. But like everyone else here, I would rather be doing all of this in my own home, and not here -- away from family and friends.

I want to thank you again, and again, for your support and encouragement. You have been so terrific to me and to everyone who stood by me. I appreciate everything you have done, your emails, your letters, and your kind, kind words.

Happy holidays,

[depakid]

47. "..detox them for about 6 months"

I have heard that this is critical in many cases, due to the fact that anhedonia sets when the person isn't using- and it takes at least that long for a person's "normal" neurological functioning to return (if it ever really does).

This of course means either inpatient treatment or incarceration. The trouble is that treatment resources are very scarce (or privately expensive) so incarceration ends up the only viable option. Even so, what I see around here is tweakers being picked up for multiple charges- everything from petty theft, to burglary and as often as not, child neglect or abuse.

All too often, users end up tossed back out on the streets well before 6 months, so they're physiologically as well as psychologically unable to turn their lives around- and end up back on the pipe until their downward spiral is complete.

Ultimately, as you say, to treat people like this- you have to get to the underlying problems.

The irony is that while the "moralizers" are loathe to appropriate funds for community based mental health and social services, it's economically LESS expensive to do that... to pay for programs that successfully help people become productive, taxpaying members of society again- who can support and nurture their own children, than it is to pay for all the rest that goes into the revolving crime/punishment/foster care system.

It's like cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. An all too common problem in America.

[Duppers]

51. having 'wanted' children

You're a hero in my book, Jackpine. Such tragedies.

This also underlined the fact that we need widespread free birth control in this country. Every baby should be wanted planned for, loved, and cared for. How much better the world would then be!

[Stinky The Clown]

56. "culture of callousness"

Indeed.

You're spot on.

[Jackpine Radical]

57. A brief addendum on the drug problem beyond meth...

I guess my position on drugs is somewhat layered. I would legalize & control pot. I think this would actually reduce access by kids, who now tell me that it is easier to get (illegal) pot than (legal but regulated) alcohol. I would also let people grow a certain amount at home, in a plan analogous to the home brewing of beer & wine.

As far as other drugs go, I believe that the best way to reduce the problem is by cutting out the profits for the drug lords. This would primarily involve allowing MD's to prescribe maintenance doses of heroin, coke, etc. for diagnosed addicts. These maintenance drugs would be sold really cheap, so the addicts wouldn't have to rip off your apartment to pay for their habit, and the drug pushers would essentially have no customers. The solution lies not in increasing punishment for the undesired behavior (i.e. dealing), but in eliminating the financial rewards.

[DemReadingDU]

58. This is a very enlightening post

Thanks to everyone for sharing

[JacquesMolay]

59. Meth eats holes in your brain...

... I saw this TV report a couple of years ago, that had typical brain scans of normal people and compared them to meth addict brains. There were big 'dead zones' in the brains of the meth addicts. Meth just burns you up.

[Jackpine Radical]

65. It's important to distinguish among different types of brain scan.

Some, like PET, SPECT and fMRI, essentially show metabolic function. The "holes" of low metabolic function are sometimes temporary and do nor reflect underlying structural abnormalities. Regular MRI's (and, with considerably less precision, CT scans) show actual tissue deficits. Sometimes the functional deficits are remediable. For example, see if you can find a PET or SPECT scan of an ADD brain. It will show gaping holes in the frontal & prefrontal regions. However, a scan of the same brain when activated by a stimulant medication will look very normal; the frontal regions will be functioning more normally, and the "holes" will have disappeared.

[The Stranger]

64. But the U.S. is too fucked by the G.O.P. into spending a half-trillion occupying Iraq,

and they will not bow to the will of the people to end it.

"What about the Democrats?," you ask. They refuse to defund the Iraq occupation and mass murder and use that money for something like this.

And you better not support a third party candidate that is closer to the Democratic base than the Democratic leadership.