Hi. How you doing? This is Lou Ford here, I am the author of the blog What Really Chaffs My Nuts (whatreallychaffsmynuts.blogspot.com), and this is my new blog The White Bicycle Review (theehitebicyclereview.blogspot.com). Now for those who have read my stuff or watched my videos you know that I usually do rants, and while that is all fine and dandy the simple fact is that I love journalism. The only problem is that when trying to get interviews or information professionally for pieces the name "What Really Chaffs My Nuts" basically kills all my creditability. So, I started this blog to serve that purpose. Now with all that explained, let us begin.
Welcome to my new blog, The White Bicycle Review. This is a bi-weekly blog that will cover news, politics, and current evens. This week the topic is the opioid epidemic.
The opioid epidemic has been ravaging our country like a viking on a raid. It has devastated entire communities, and the consequences are the deaths of thousands upon thousands of people who die from overdoses and other drug related causes. It has been a crisis that for a long time had been under cut, and kept in dark until more recently when the death tole had overshadowed that of car accidents and gun violence combined. Still, while it is known it is something that hasn't gotten a lot of coverage in terms of the background or the solutions that have been purposed. That has been compounded by the fact that up until recently it was considered to be a rural, poor white folk issue that has stayed under raps due to the isolation of the communities. It hadn't even really been taken seriously until the scourge spread to the middle class, and more affluent areas. Then people really began to care.
This epidemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives even if we don't know it. Everything from culture to politics and health care, they are all influenced by this health crisis that has been devouring our nation. It has affected the election of Donald Trump, the health care system. NJ Governor Chris Christie shut down the state government, state parks, beaches and like for that reason. It's also where he got caught being a big fat hypocrite when he was caught at said beaches relaxing. This new issue, which is this generations AIDS epidemic, has been slowly eating us away. The opioid epidemic has been ravaging our country.
Here are three pieces about how this epidemic has affected our world. The first is by Natasha Nixon, the second one is by an anonymous contributors, and third by Michela Cardelli. I hope you enjoy the pieces, and find it informative.
The opioid epidemic in Canada
Natasha Nixon
In North America, one of the most devastating crises in recent years is the rise of opioids. A class of drugs derived from the opium seed, these are very deadly drugs that are primarily found in most surgical anesthetics and painkillers. Because many people get hooked on these during their time in treatment or post-surgery, many addicts turn to street drugs like heroin and fetanyl to get their fix. Not only are the drugs highly addictive, but they are incredibly dangerous as well. While most people think of the United States when it comes to the epidemic, the truth is, the drug epidemic related to opioids is affecting many Canadians as well. And as a result, the crisis has changed Canada, in more ways than one.
Overdoses
For one, one of the most immediate negative effects of the crisis has been a rise in overdoses. An overdose is when someone takes too much of a drug and it kills them. In Canada, prior to the current crisis, the majority of illegal drugs used in the country were related more to marijuana or something similar. However, now, things have gotten drastically worse. A lot of people of varying ages, but mostly young males in their 20s and 30s, are beginning to feel the effects of the drug. Aside from overdoses, addiction can be a serious damper on employment, happiness, and the stability of households. Many broken homes are due to the rise in these opioids.
But aside from overdoses, it has also had some proxy effects on the country as a whole.
Rise In Crime and Smuggling
Because drugs like heroin or fetanyl are obviously illegal, the only way to get them is from smugglers or dealers. This rise in drug dealing and smuggling has led to a rise in crime. Canada, which is a relatively low crime country in comparison to the United States, has seen an increase in drug-related violent crime, and by proxy, a rise in some of the other violent crimes that have affected the country. This means it's absolutely paramount that people realize that border protection and security is a greater concern in an age where every potential package from other countries has opioids in it.
Regardless, Canada is proving it will stand tall in the face of the epidemic, as clinics, hospitals, and communities brace for what very well be one of the defining health crises of the 21st Century.
Anonymous
One of Trump’s top campaign promises was to put an end to America’s ‘drug epidemic’. This helped him win a spot in the hearts of lots of Americans as the war on drugs was almost seeming to be lost and becoming somewhat a futile adventure with previous administrations. As measures were put in place to checkmate the spread and sale of illicit drugs, traffickers also devise new ways to beat the system. For every measure taken by the security agencies, the traffickers had always responded with a counter measure. There have been drug busts, arrest and incarceration yet the hydra-headed challenge of drug abusecontinues unabated. So came as some sort relieve when presidential hopeful, now president Donald Trump made emphatic statements targeted at combating the opioid epidemic Head-on, promising to put men and resources if elected to ensure that the security agencies are better equip to fully combat and bring to justice drug traffickers. He proposed and supported tougher legislations on immigration and sentencing for drug offenders as a way of deterring people from engaging in illicit drug trade.
The Mexican border has been a major route from opioidtraffickers, with reports citing the hauling of bales of opium over the wall and into the Arizona desert using large catapults. The security agencies have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of traffickers and their devises. During his campaign, president Donald Trump made it clear that he was going to enforce tougher immigration laws particularly in respect to the Mexicanborder, making the infamous statement that, though endeared him to most Americans, pitched him against some populace in other parts of the world. He promised that if elected, that he would build a wall the like of the Chinese wall between Americaand Mexico and that the Mexican government would be forced to pay for it. This statement elicited a lot of reaction the world over and was able to bring to the fore the problem of opioidtrafficking and it resultant effect on the American populace, the youth in particular and the stance of a presidential hopeful.
Opioid abuse and drug related diseases have claimed the lives of nearly 400,000 people in the United States over the past decade.Whilst campaigning, the President made it known to supporters that one of the policies which he will put in place is the securing the Mexican borders and the immigration policy. He kept emphasizing that securing the borders would reduce the inflow of drugs and help keep traffickers out of the country.
During one of his campaign stops, he showered praises on his opponent Mike Pence for increasing the mandatory minimum sentence for drug abusers and offenders whilst expanding access to treatment for people with substance use disorder. He blamed increase in drug overdoses on prescribed drugs. Long waiting lists and missed opportunities within the criminal justice system. In another of his stops, Trump said “we will stop the drugs from pouring in”, and offer assistance to those who are seriously addicted. He also promised to deport millions of gang members and drug dealers. At a rally in Ohio, He blamed the increase in drug overdose death; almost a 20% increase on a very porous border. He also promised voters in New Hampshire that not only will a wall keep out the dangerous drug dealers, it will also keep out…the heroin poisoning our youth.”
As he travelled across the country campaigning, his message of hope for a greater America free of drugs, resonated with a lot people, counties that have been ravaged by the opioid menace from Delaware to Colorado and from Memphis to Chicago saw his promise of relieve and of renewed greatness as the needed panacea to tackling the opioid menace and this helped Donald Trump, gather a Momentum to emerge as the 45th president of the United States.
Opioid Red
Michela Cardelli
Opioid drugs are potent if used correctly,
while they can lead to serious problems if they are not adequately managed. The
drug addict to this type of drug is very high, and every doctor recommends
moderation in doses and intake of these opiates.
Excessive consumption can lead to addiction
that can destroy the body and mind, just like a drug addiction (cocaine or
heroin), with devastating consequences.
That is exactly what's happening to the Native
American community.
The numbers of this health emergency, ignored
by generalist mass media, are impressive.
According to the "Indian health"
services, the deaths related to the abuse of opiates among Native American
Indians and native Alaskan tribes are quadrupled since 1999. They are now
double those that occur in the US general population.
That is why the Cherokee government launched a
class action against American pharmacies, drug distribution chains, and some
pharmaceutical companies for allowing “easy” sales of opioids for years, which
are hitting American Indians.
The tribes, already affected by unemployment
and problems of rampant alcoholism, are devastated by the epidemic of opiate
addiction, which reckons more victims than the American population as a whole.
The state of Oklahoma - where the largest
number of Cherokee lives, totaling 120,000 - has the highest rate of abuse of
narcotic analgesics-from recipe.
In the complaint, Cherokee accuses the
pharmaceutical industry of not monitoring methods and opium sales among
Indians, whose level should trigger an alert. Only in 2015, 845 million
milligrams of opioids were distributed in the 14 counties where Cherokee's
reserves are. This means that every year, on average, every Cherokee consumer
of these legally-prescribed reciprocal drugs used between 360 and 720 pills.
"Sellers - says the complaint - have made
enormous profits by allowing the Cherokee people to be flooded with opioid
drugs, and not wanting to see the problems under their eyes."
Why is this issue ignored?
The terrible truth is that Native Americans
don’t generate ratings for big TVs and mass media. They do not generate
controversy and ratings so high to justify a broadcast and investment.
Also, large pharmaceutical companies have a
defensive line ready. They distribute drugs; it is not their responsibility to
watch over how they are prescribed.
This situation can only be solved by a
collective effort of all and a public awareness-raising work. Bringing people
to know this problem (including influencing the web and TV), the authorities will
be forced to resolve it and admit that there is a problem.
This is the only way to stop this addiction. Knowledge and sharing.
That is our first addition of The White Bicycle review. It will becoming out mouthy, and I hope you enjoyed it, and found it informative. I hope that you will read the next blog post. Until next time.
Lou Ford
Fin
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