OPIOD Outburst - Drugs OVERDOSE in majority Caucasian environments

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This is not the first time heroin use has skyrocketed in the United States. In the 1970s and '80s, the drug took hold in urban centers. But now officials say it is reaching the country's heartland, flooding across the southwest border from Mexico.

"You didn't usually think of heroin as suburbia, as rural America, and that's what we're seeing," says Joseph Moses, spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The result, however, is the same.

"If you look at just the raw statistics," he says, "over the last four of five years, heroin deaths went up 45 percent.

Spike in Heroin Use Can Be Traced to Prescription Pads
by Laura Sullivan - NPR

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THOUGHTFUL Comments from the same article said:

28daysimian • 14 hours ago −

I think it's kind of sad when tragedies get so much attention just because it happens to a famous person. My father, a couple of cousins and a handful of people I knew when I was young died from addiction, and people in the poorest communities in this country do everyday, this actors death is tragic but so is everyone else's.

Patrick Connelly • 18 hours ago −

I wish that a story about pharmaceutical addiction in general could be addressed. I don't like how illicit drugs gain the attention when the addiction trends clearly stretch into "medications" like amphetamines to treat adult ADHD. I've seen people flake out completely thinking that this is medicine when it is really an abused dietary and brain chemical override.

We hear this reality check whenever there is the blatant outburst of notoriety vs "no big thing" and seemingly OK for URBAN (African American and other People of Color) to OVERDOSE.

Racial and Class Double-Triple standards and tale of two cities within a city/country is running rampant at the root of needed change.  We know this to be true.  We know that we have a sub-population and national-population dilemma.  Wrong.  It is everybody's problem/dilemma.  It is at extreme levels at the Millennials age group.  What does that say about the now and future of America?  What does it say about HEALTH CARE of the Affordable Health Care?  These are the growing 100-of-thousands addicted and in need of treatment - individuals that will drive the cost for health care and insurance coverage - public and private.  

Phillip Seymour Hoffman - 46 years

Have you notice how the media has couched the death of Oscar Actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Drug Addict, Heroin Addiction - with a feel-good and an above all flirting balance of rise to fame as an actor.  It does Hoffman a disservice.  He recognized his addiction recently at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival - after treatments for addiction.  His statements of his acknowledgement of being a Heroin Addict on 60 Minutes and with friends said loud and clear that he was an addict with the Heroin Monkey on his back.  We would be wise to see what signs were given and those given but not treated.  Also, to remember his 3 children and their mother during this time - the giant loss for now and years to come.  

A noticeable reference of toning down and masking fame/money/I like Phillip's "Body of Work" and touted as one of the best actors of all time.  We need to see the problem and treat the pain (lifetime illness) and not get caught up in spinning such a tragedy.  Yes.  Mr. Hoffman was a notable actor - a notable actor with 3 young children - a notable actor that was a Heroin addict that died at the age of 46 of an over-exposure to drugs.  Soon the news hype will go away - until the next or massive ODs.

The singing while Rome burns is unacceptable - it is not being responsible.  It is akin to the over-the-top shooting of guns and almost daily random killings with NO ACTION because of power players waving Amendment II of the Constitution.  This is flawed thinking and the growing epidemics will change.   It will take the will of the People (those coming) and those in the way will acquiesce or die of old age.   It is akin to the ole wild wild west.

Whether guns or drug addiction, we know this to be true.  So, let's do something about it.  This is this blog's contribution.  We say, make it a priority to speak openly and forthrightly about the issues of harm with addiction that is related to the Poppy plant and is pharmaceutical related with opiods (i.e., Oxycontin, Percocet and other drugs). 

Milwaukee Professionals Association LLC has selected  health providers and health practitioners (Pharmaceutical industry, doctors and dentists) for leadership in our efforts of prevention/intervention of drug addiction.  We take Patrick Connelly's suggest as Step 1 for a Pharmaceutical-Health Practitioners-Insurance MPA LLC PULSE Alliance Briefing in Milwaukee in March.  

Stay tuned.