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[entremet]

The original numbers were startling enough — 30 heroin overdoses across Cincinnati in a single weekend.

Then they just kept climbing.

Seventy-eight more overdoses and at least three deaths were reported during a 48-hour period Tuesday and Wednesday.

And at the end of last week, after a six-day stretch of emergency-room visits that exhausted first responders and their medical supplies, the overdose tally soared to a number health officials are calling “unprecedented”: 174.

On average, Cincinnati has four overdose reports per day, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported, and usually no more than 20 or 25 in a given week.

[Heroin cut with elephant tranquilizer may have caused 60 overdoses across two states in just 48 hours]

But pure heroin is what’s responsible for that average. And that’s not what’s on the streets now, they say. The culprit responsible for the staggering number was probably heroin cut with the latest opioid boost meant to deliver consumers a stronger, extended high — carfentanil. That’s a tranquilizer for, among other large animals, elephants. And it’s 10,000 times as strong as morphine.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...174-heroin-overdoses-in-6-days-in-cincinnati/

Opiates are wrecking havoc.

 

[Pastry]

They're cutting that shit with elephant tranquilizer? Jesus Christ.

 

[Omegasquash]

That's insane.

 

[Ricky_R]

Bad batch?

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

That is horrifying.

 

[smurfx]

They're cutting that shit with elephant tranquilizer? Jesus Christ.

That’s a tranquilizer for, among other large animals, elephants. And it’s 10,000 times as strong as morphine.

lol jeez i know people want to get high but man that's something else.

 

[elrechazado]

What is the definition of overdose here? Seems odd to presuppose that there is an appropriate dose. I always have heard overdose or "OD" refer to death. When did that change?

 

[Pryce]

And no one will give a shit.

 

[SliceSabre]

Its nuts here in Ohio, was hearing on NPR last week that over 3,000 people died from heroin ODs last year which worked out to about 3 people everyday.

 

[hawkshockey11]

What is the definition of overdose here? Seems odd to presuppose that there is an appropriate dose. I always have heard overdose or "OD" refer to death. When did that change?

Overdosing isn't an instant death.
Narcan can save you.

 

[echoshifting]

What is the definition of overdose here? Seems odd to presuppose that there is an appropriate dose. I always have heard overdose or "OD" refer to death. When did that change?

I'm not sure on the exact definition but when you're unconscious and cannot be woken, turning blue, making snoring sounds that horrify your family, and require paramedics to be revived, you may not have died but you still overdosed.

 

[capitalCORN]

Jesus Christ, what a mess. At this point, I'm sure crack is safer than this shit.

 

[entremet]

I wonder if overprescribing painkillers is to blame for this stuff too.

 

[mrhyderager]

What is the definition of overdose here? Seems odd to presuppose that there is an appropriate dose. I always have heard overdose or "OD" refer to death. When did that change?

I believe OD now refers to any time they take enough that puts them at a real risk of dying. Many of these cases would end in deaths if it weren't for the advent of Narcan.

I'm from Cincinnati. I live in Tampa now but this is a fucking mess. Cincinnati is not good at getting good publicity.

 

[dave is ok]

They're cutting that shit with elephant tranquilizer? Jesus Christ.

Fentanyl, probably.

Same thing is happening on the east coast.

 

[Red]

Fentanyl, probably.

Same thing is happening on the east coast.

Fentanyl sold as or laced with heroin has been an increasing problem in Ohio. I can't speak for elsewhere.

The article says the tranq used here was carfentanil.

 

[TerryLee81]

It was on sale

 

[Z_Y]

There were 26 overdoses in less than 4 hours last week in Huntington, WV. I just saw where they arrested the dealer in Akron.

Dealers want to have the best dope so people keep coming back to them for their fix. So they cut it with elephant tranquilizer. Terrible stuff.

 

[commedieu]

Seems like we need state programs where all addicts can get off of drugs, free of charge.

Ah shit forgot about the war on drugs.

Nm

 

[SRG01]

Fentanyl made its way into our province a while ago. It's some scary stuff.

 

[SecretMoblin]

And it’s 10,000 times as strong as morphine.

I can't even comprehend an addiction that would cause someone to think "I need this".

That many overdoses can only mean a really massive culture of use. I hope those people get peace. :/

 

[TerryLee81]

Seems like we need state programs where all addicts can get off of drugs, free of charge.

Ah shit forgot about the war on drugs.

Nm

First step would be to give it to them free of charge, by the state. That's how we do it here, and a lot of problems have basically vanished.

 

[The Jackdog]

its become an epidemic in my old town.

suburban, mostly white kids, who get pills prescribed, and then refilled, and then refilled, and then refilled, and then need stronger and stronger and stronger.

 

[commedieu]

I can't even comprehend an addiction that would cause someone to think "I need this".

That many overdoses can only mean a really massive culture of use. I hope those people get peace. :/

Its not the person. Its the severe chemical dependency is making the call about needing more drug.

 

[siddx]

I was just reading an article about how fentanyl is causing a huge crises all over the US because it keeps getting used to make bootleg pain pills. And with decades of the pharmaceutical industry getting our nation hooked on these evil fucking things, people are od'ing at absurd rates.

 

[dave is ok]

I can't even comprehend an addiction that would cause someone to think "I need this".

That many overdoses can only mean a really massive culture of use. I hope those people get peace. :/

No one wants it.

It's cut with it to make the distributors more money, but has the unfortunate side effect of killing their customers.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I watched my cousin a combat veteran that was on pills for pain get strung out until the pills stopped and moved to heroin. His life is ruined now.

scary shit.

 

[Amalthea]

Guess since it's largely seen as a white people drug there is not enough political fearmongering as you can't criminalize minorities as conveniently with heroin.

 

[TyrantII]

Pain prescription pulls were a mistake.

 

[Omegasquash]

I wonder if overprescribing painkillers is to blame for this stuff too.

There's been a recent movement, however slight, among physicians that recognizes over prescription of painkillers, and an attempt to stay their hand at prescribing them without a deeper investigation of their patients situation.

 

[echoshifting]

Pain prescription pulls were a mistake.

No they weren't, but our culture has an incredibly dysfunctional relationship with them.

 

[Clark W Grizwald]

I just don't understand why people would even want to try this after there is so much info out there how it destroys lives. Just stick to weed

 

[LycanXIII]

They couldn't tranq Harambe because they're using it in heroin now.

 

[bucknuticus]

My sister works for the UC hospital and has been talking about this, its a mess.

 

[Omegasquash]

I just don't understand why people would even want to try this after there is so much info out there how it destroys lives. Just stick to weed

Addiction is a tricky disease. Once someone has developed even a minor dependency on a substance as dangerous as painkillers, the path to physical addiction is that much shorter.

 

[Krejlooc]

Heroin is something that, even at my most experimental, I always stayed away from. Terrifying drug. I've run across it a few times and it always scared the fuck out of me.

 

[dsp]

I was just reading an article about how fentanyl is causing a huge crises all over the US because it keeps getting used to make bootleg pain pills. And with decades of the pharmaceutical industry getting our nation hooked on these evil fucking things, people are od'ing at absurd rates.

I know a guy who died from those patches. I've seen people chewing on the patches too many times.

its become an epidemic in my old town.

suburban, mostly white kids, who get pills prescribed, and then refilled, and then refilled, and then refilled, and then need stronger and stronger and stronger.

I get what you're saying but you're not taking into account that the reason so many people moved to heroin wasn't because it is stronger, it's because it's available. The harder they made it to get the pills, the more people started using heroin. That's where this whole current heroin "epidemic" stems from.

 

[A Serious Man]

Frontline had a good report on this recently.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

Someone needs to go into these places and find out what turns people to drugs.

I'm 30 going on 31 and I've never any sort of illegal drugs in my lifetime and I've never had the urge to. What's the difference between the life I've lived and those that turn to drugs?

 

[SwiftDeath]

Yeah, those are absolutely terrifying numbers and yet the DEA just stated that Marijuana will continue to be classified a Schedule I drug (most dangerous, least useful) which is the same as Heroin and LSD

 

[Media]

I figured it would have been caused by higher potency batches, but Christ.

The sad thing is is that most of the people who got hurt by this likely didn't know it was any different than what they'd been buying before. I'm sure all dealers hype whatever shit they have as 'the strongest'.

 

[Red]

There's been a recent movement, however slight, among physicians that recognizes over prescription of painkillers, and an attempt to stay their hand at prescribing them without a deeper investigation of their patients situation.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/publichealth/57336

Things will change as the problem increases. Steps will be taken to mitigate this. It is tragic that it got so far, however, that no one had the foresight to prevent this.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Seems like we need state programs where all addicts can get off of drugs, free of charge.

Ah shit forgot about the war on drugs.

Nm

I'm sure there are methadone clinics in Cincinnati

 

[PanicFreak]

http://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/publichealth/57336

Things will change as the problem increases. Steps will be taken to mitigate this. It is tragic that it got so far, however, that no one had the foresight to prevent this.

Executives that hid addiction statistics on pain killers should be thrown in jail.

 

[ryseing]

Someone needs to go into these places and find out what turns people to drugs.

I'm 30 going on 31 and I've never any sort of illegal drugs in my lifetime and I've never had the urge to. What's the difference between the life I've lived and those that turn to drugs?

Ever had a severe physical injury? That is where it starts for some people.

 

[AlphaDump]

BigPharm is our biggest pusher of heroin. What has always struck me as glaring is how we've falsely labeled this shiy as a painkiller. It does nothing of the sort, it numbs it and makes the injuries worse over time.



I saw a commercial that basically asked, Suffer from opiate induced constipation? Fuck quitting them, just take this additional laxative pill.

 

[smoothj]

When dope addicts hear that theres a batch killing people. They want it even more because that means it's really good. Stupid ay of thinking if you ask me.

 

[Ambient80]

Fentanyl sold as or laced with heroin has been an increasing problem in Ohio. I can't speak for elsewhere.

The article says the tranq used here was carfentanil.

Yep. We've seen it a ton in Ohio (I'm a path resident so we hear about it in autopsy rounds and such). Unfortunately there's not a good control to test for it yet.

 

[platocplx]

And no one will give a shit.

especially the all lives matter crowd. Its an epidemic and while im still pissed that there is a softer approach on drugs because now its become a middle class white problem, I like that there are people looking to change how we look at addiction of all drugs like this. this is just awful.

I wonder if overprescribing painkillers is to blame for this stuff too.

yes it was.

 

[Media]

Ever had a severe physical injury? That is where it starts for some people.

This.

I have a life long, incurable chronic pain condition (lupus) so I'm on opiates. It's constantly on my mind that I could easily become addicted. I'm worried that I'm already dependant. I wish science could come up with alternates to opiates for pain relief that actually worked and didn't cause things like addiction, dependence and tolerance.