Way OT: Hillbilly heroin

Submitted by no joke its hoke on

Tomorrow evening on A@E they will be showing "Hillbilly Heroin",a show about how prescription drugs have destroyed my hometown of Portsmouth,Ohio. I'm sure everyone on here knows someone that has had a drug problem,but I urge you to watch tomorrow night to see how this problem has ruined a great river town. Unfortunatley my family has been impacted by this and one of my family members is even on the show. I hope if any of you have a family member or a friend effected by prescription drug abuse you watch this show and maybe find a way to help them. I hope what has happened in this town over the last 10 years never happens to were you live. If anyone reading this has a prescription abuse problem I hope you know there is away out of it and if you need anyone to talk to or help you please let me know and I'll help any way I can.

JoeBlue18

April 10th, 2011 at 7:43 PM ^

I'm originally from Fenton, Michigan and in the past few months there have been four deaths caused by heroin overdoses. One of the girls was a beautiful 17 year old that lived three houses down from me. It's truly unfortunate that heroin (and synthetic prescription forms) are becoming so openly used.

JimLahey

April 10th, 2011 at 7:55 PM ^

I have to agree. Hillbilly Heroin = prescription drugs? Don't alot of wealthy athletes and doctors become addicted to prescription drugs? I never associated it with hillbillies, but I don't really know much about it.

clarkiefromcanada

April 10th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^

In my town people knocked over the methodone clinic where people try to get off the stuff (taking 4 litres of methadone)...

 

hillbilly heroin

97 up12 down
 
n. 

1)A common slang term used to define oxycontin, a prescription sustained-release opioid-analgesic marketed by Purdue Pharma. It is comprised of the active ingredient oxycodone, and an inert filler. Available dosages range from 10-80mg. 160mg pills used to be available but were pulled from the market. It does not contain acetaminophen asPercocetEndocet do. This makes it particularly desirable to those who wish to use it for 'off-label' purposes.
~"Hey man, I just scored some hillbilly heroin from Dave!" 

~"Sweet dude, lets get fucked up!" 

 

The Squid

September 28th, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^

In the poorer parts of Applachia, the rural south and Florida there are huge numbers of low-rent pill mill pain clinics where doctors make money by cranking out oxy scripts to anyone who comes through the door. Oxycontin is a time release pill but you can easily get around that by crushing the pill and snorting or injecting it like herion.

amphibious1

April 10th, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^

This caught me offguard. I heard Hillbilly Heroin and thought NASCAR. This was far more depressing. I hope your family and town find a way to get well. Hang in there....

Winged Helmet Fan

April 10th, 2011 at 8:20 PM ^

That is very sad. I am thankful when I get depressed listening to the "news" , that I have my sports outlet, as well as the activities I like to do to sometimes put distance between myself and whatever the dailey downer may be.

Some people are not "hobby" or "sports" types, and I wonder if that affects their ability to cope with the constant barrage life throws at us.

aaamichfan

April 10th, 2011 at 8:29 PM ^

Here's something very similar to the one described in the OP. I watched this a while ago, and was instantly reminded of it while reading this. If you need something to entertain you on a boring Sunday evening, I suggest giving it a watch.

aaamichfan

April 10th, 2011 at 8:39 PM ^

Towards the end, they visit a town in Kentucky(if I remember correctly) that has been devastated as well. It also talks about the special flights people take to Miami just to get the oxycontin for sale/use. Definitely makes you wonder how Florida had such ridiculously lax requirements for obtaining pain meds.

yoopergoblue

April 10th, 2011 at 8:56 PM ^

Watched the first 10 minutes of that video and it's absolutely sickening.  How these doctors are able to keep their licenses is beyond me.  These doctors are terrible people who are killing for a living basically.  For what?  Prescription drug abuse is by far the worst drug problem we have in this country.

One Armed Bandit

April 10th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^

For four years working at the newspaper (sports side). I remember our news side had meth lab bust stories like every few weeks. Oxy, though, I don't think we had too many stories about that.

NJIH, I'm sorry about your family issues. I'll certainly be tuning in tomorrow. 

Hoken's Heroes

April 10th, 2011 at 9:30 PM ^

It's a highly addictive medication. People who are legitimately Rx'd the drug become hooked on it.

Here's how it's abused..

OxyContin abusers either crush the tablet and ingest or snort it or they dilute it in water and inject it. Crushing or diluting the tablet disarms the timed-release action of the medication, but crushing OxyContin in this way can give the user a potentially fatal dose.

Beavis

April 10th, 2011 at 10:47 PM ^

HOLY SHIT GET THE FUCKING PRESIDENT ON THE PHONE. This is amazing stuff! Truly groundbreaking!

Sometimes I feel like some people here are either way too young or way too sheltered.

I have been doing some of my own research recently, and apparently there is this drug called, "cocaine" that you snort up your nose and you become very energetic. More updates to follow...

bluesouth

April 10th, 2011 at 9:58 PM ^

Therapy has shown to be very effective for the treatment of Opioid and opiate addiction. 

I'm not about blaming the addicted person but if you notice the young man is saying what the doctor can do to stop selling him drugs.  He says he stays clean for a while but he's not followiing up with his discharge plans.  6 programs and 15 detox episodes, he is not working a program of recovery. he's just lowering his tolerance after each treatment program. . To get clean and sober he will have to be willing to go to any lenghts, forsaking "friends" associates changing people places and things for the sake of recovery.  

Suboxone is only part of the therapy.  A person has to be willing and able to stop and stay stopped.  They have to be willing and able to attend counseling sessions, attend NA meetings, get a spnsor and work a 12 step program of recovery with their sponsor.  The last thing an addictted person wants to hear is that once addicted a person is addicted for life.  

I want to watch this special to see if they senationalize ths addiction or if it offers real clinical information.

bluesouth

April 10th, 2011 at 10:03 PM ^

callously speaks to the region of the country where this epiemic has it's first sensational origins. The first senationalized news accounts of people doctor shopping and dying from overdoses and pain managment clinics poping up came from the Appalachian region

namely West Virginia, parts of Ohio, Kentucky, extreme Northern Alabama, and parts of eastern Tenn

SysMark

April 10th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^

I just watch I could watch something on TV...anything...without being bombarded by slick, sinister, clever button-pushing commercials telling me why I need a drug.

Trebor

April 11th, 2011 at 3:57 AM ^

For serious. If I watch TV for an hour, I think I have about 7 psychological issues that may be chemical imbalances and should probably see a doctor who will write me a prescription for 17 drugs that will turn me into an emotionless lump of flesh.

bryemye

April 10th, 2011 at 10:46 PM ^

Painkillers are the scariest shit.

If you want to read a great book about overcoming that addiction as well as warm Brian Cook's broken heart, might I suggest Infinite Jest.

Hehe.

lexgoblue

April 11th, 2011 at 8:00 AM ^

My wife was treating a patient who had previously broken her arm several weeks ago. The woman came into the hospital trying to get more pain meds but was refused. The patient stepped out to go smoke and used the curb to rebreak her arm. Desparate act of a highly addicted, desparate woman.