# 96

Below article in Fox Business, dated 3/31/17 confirms Wall Street Journal article posted 10/13/16 as # 42 (also see # 61) - Fentanyl; from China to your downtown in America.

Postal interceptions have increased in March 2017 just have shipments from China have increased (see earlier post # 78).

http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2017/03/31/dea-made-in-china-lethal-opioid-fueling-u-s-drug-epidemic.html

# 95

A follow-up to # 82

Washington Court House, Ohio has never criminalized the use of drugs.  In post # 82, we read where they enacted, with due process, a crime described as "Inducing Panic" (a misdemeanor) in instances where 911 is called and Narcan is used to revive someone who possessed illegal substances.

In the below article, the ACLU is reported to have requested that the community stop charging the offense.

The original post explained how the law was created as a means of directing substance use disorder persons into treatment while also documenting and tracking the data and providing potential leads useful in eliminating the sale, distribution and possession of illegal substances.

The reported request suggests that the ACLU believes that the law deters 911 reporting and seeks to remove the government's ability to collect data for improving society.  While the taxpayers fund the increasing budgets for Narcan, the ACLU is attempting to undo the effort to track and reduce such overdose events.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/03/28/aclu-asks-ohio-city-to-stop-charging-drug-overdose-survivors.html

# 94

Two new Maryland laws seek funding for Heroin Opioid Treatment, Response and Prevention.

Article, while making no data available indicating that persons are overdosing at Maryland High Schools and Colleges, seeks to place Narcan antidote at such schools and require training of school personnel.  Additionally, Maryland seeks to place 10 Crisis Treatment Centers in 10 regions of the state.

Article reports that nearly 2,000 died in Maryland in 2016 from overdoses.

http://wtop.com/maryland/2017/03/md-democrats-call-to-open-treatment-centers-to-battle-heroin-crisis/

# 93

For Americans who believe that they are not affected by Heroin/Opioid epidemic; read this:

Jet Blue plane on runway returns to terminal and does not depart for Florida destination.  Overdose (from Heroin and anti-anxiety medication) of passenger bound for Florida rehab forces delay as unconscious man foams at the mouth.

Yes, another successful revival attributed to quick police response and Narcan is reported from inside a Florida-bound jet.  In addition to impacting a plane's departure in which dozens of flyer's schedules are altered, all readers should understand that the societal costs also include budgetary increases for the antidote - Narcan.

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/03/24/passenger-on-jetblue-flight-bound-for-florida-overdoses-on-heroin.html

# 92

Another case of child calling police 911 to report that parents are passed-out.

Using the same mistaken assumption, news item reports that "mom was driving high on heroin" when the substance is a Central Nervous System depressant.  Heroin makes people get "low", not "high."

The news item also reports on the large quantity of State ordered child removals due to the opioid crisis.

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/terrified-child-heard-calling-911-as-parents-overdose-while-driving-904227907659

# 91

Anchor video # 3 in support of this blog

The Day After Addiction

https://youtu.be/BIhapPB9qtk

# 90

Anchor video # 2 in support of this blog

The Day of Addiction

https://youtu.be/57nItxkO5uc

# 89

Anchor video # 1 in support of this blog

The Day Before Addiction

Except for the baby, contaminated by cross-placental substances, almost all of humanity reaches their teens or adulthood in a state of non-addiction.  In many of the addiction/substance use dependency cases, adults made choices.  As many of the posts in this blog illustrate, too many of these choices are Fatal Decisions.

https://youtu.be/XQFxMCzsdx0

# 88

Virginia Law Enforcement reports 11 indictments in Northern Virginia involving Heroin ring,  Prosecutors indicate that old-fashioned follow-up by interviewing Emergency Room admissions for OD treatment was what led to the arrests.  Drugs, cash and vehicles seized.

The below article identifies how law enforcement effectively back-tracked from the user/purchaser, to low-level sales and "climbed-the-ladder" up to the Racketeering Coordinators.  No opioids were mentioned in the article; only heroin and cocaine.

http://wtop.com/local/2017/03/11-arrested-major-heroin-ring-shut-va-police-say/

# 87

Washington Post article hails "Recovery High Schools;" makes claim of success for two opened in Montgomery County, Md in 1979 - now shut down.

Despite anecdotal claims of success, the Post does report : "While no scholarly analysis was done of Phoenix’s effectiveness, Finch said, it appears to have succeeded."

The article reports that there are 38 such Recovery High Schools across the country.  No metrics or scientific data is reported.

The Montgomery County School Board will be discussing the costs and advantages of re-opening such schools.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/as-opioid-crisis-intensifies-one-md-school-system-looks-at-a-recovery-school/2017/03/19/d0f8a57c-0981-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_recoveryschool650p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.4930a18e0274

# 86

Fentanyl suspected in deaths of Airline pilot and wife. 4 children, ages 9-13 in blended family, cannot rouse parents.

In this post, dated March 17, 2017, County Coroner's office Director vents as he lists these two deaths as carrying accidental drug overdoses past the 160 mark at just 2.5 months into the year.  The article reports that the husband, 36, last flew for Spirit Airlines on Friday, March 10, 2017.

"We've been talking about this for how long now?" Ken Betz, director of the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, tells the Daily News. "Here I go again ... year-to-date accidental drug overdoses exceeded 160 already this year."

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/03/spirit_airlines_pilot_wife_fou.html

# 85

Article addresses Law Enforcement response to opioid epidemic in which Officers shift their approach from arrest to counselling and treatment.

Law Enforcement Administrators are interviewed, however, none mention the loss of arrest statistics which are used for the evaluation of all police officers and reporting of crime statistics which are reported to the FBI, monthly.

The below article accurately identifies how a vacuum has been created by the new phenomenon of opioid drug overdose cases and deaths.  Unfortunately, the article also identifies how, perhaps, an inappropriate response has evolved - law enforcement as counselor - when other more appropriate social service agencies have not stepped-up.

The report clearly describes the frustrations experienced by many police officers who identify time spent responding to overdose cases as time stolen from attacking crime.  Officers explain how they come out of their academies with a healthy attitude to find and arrest criminals and do not like having their time occupied dealing with a sickness which drains their resources.

Coming from a police department which evaluated performance by measurable statistical objectives (MSOs), and with an awareness of the Uniform Crime Report submitted monthly by all American Law Enforcement to the FBI, the shift in priorities can quickly produce statistics which vary radically from corresponding months in prior years.

Another realistic observation is that resources intended for enforcement/safety are being diverted to social services while social services funding is not being forced to step-up and address a dilemma which is really its area to handle. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/as-opioid-overdoses-rise-police-officers-become-counselors-doctors-and-social-workers/2017/03/12/85a99ba6-fa9c-11e6-be05-1a3817ac21a5_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_opioidpolice-740pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.40aafacfb585 

# 84

Latest article on "Pink"

Please review post # 49 when reading the below article.  Substance now included on DEA's schedule.


https://www.rt.com/usa/379718-pink-drug-us-epidemic/

# 83

Fairfax, Virginia man pleads guilty in Drug Death of 17 year-old Centreville High School classmate.  Receives 12 year sentence with 5 years suspended.

In the below report, the drugs found in a post-mortem toxicology report are: alcohol, morphine, oxycodone and the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, sold under the trade name Xanax.

As this blog has previously reported, Heroin is metabolized by the liver and never shows-up in toxicology as Heroin.  Evidence of Heroin usage is determined by the findings of the investigators and the presence of morphine.

The sale and use of morphine is highly unusual, so toxicology reports for morphine usually indicate that Heroin - not a synthetic opioid - was used by the victim.

http://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2017/03/fairfax-co-man-sentenced-drug-death-high-school-classmate/

# 82

Washington Court House, Ohio passes law : Causing Panic.  Punishable as a misdemeanor, persons revived from an overdose of Heroin are issued a summons.  The punishment carries a fine up to $1,000 and 180 days in jail.

The below article marks a collaborative effort between Prosecutors and Police to proactively steer Heroin Overdose subjects towards treatment.  It is not intended to give jail-time to such "users."

The law stands as an early effort to commence tracking of the persons needing Narcan for revival and to interrupt a cycle of OD to revival to OD which avoids detection/prevention/cessation/recovery.


http://wjla.com/news/nation-world/ohio-town-issues-new-strategy-consequences-in-heroin-battle

# 81

Hamilton County, Ohio experiences 9 overdose deaths in one weekend.

Hamilton County Coroner reports that, in addition to the deaths, three children were made orphans.

In this report, toxicology results have not been issued.  Opioids are mentioned, however, the substance causing the deaths is not confirmed.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/02/26/city-sees-overdose-surge/98462124/

# 80

Maryland's Governor declares state of emergency for Heroin/Fentanyl/Opioids; seeks $50M reports that, in first 9 months of 2016, OD Deaths from opioids were up 62%.

In the below article, Gov. Hogan indicates that increased funding would be dedicated to enforcement, education and recovery efforts.

In what has increasingly been emerging, critics and advocates all believe that their prioritized cause deserves the greatest slice of the pie.  One critic of Hogan's request states that education, prevention and enforcement do not need to receive the funding.  Instead, costly long-term rehab is where funding is needed, according to Del. Dan K. Morhaim.

[Ed. note, all life is valuable and none is disposable.  Given that an axiom of this blog is that, except for babies that were born with addictions, every person enjoys a "Day Before Addiction" status; educating and preventing addiction in this target group will result in beneficial adult choices which do not lead to addiction and will never require rehabilitation.  Economically and socially, this group has the potential to be less costly and promote a better society with lower affiliated criminality.]

The competition for resources will continue to be a major aspect for this blog to review and address.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/hogan-declares-opioid-state-of-emergency/2017/03/01/5c22fcfa-fe2f-11e6-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?hpid=hp_local-news_hoganopioid-7pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9dc0db9a6391