Notes from The Heroin Forum

        Following is a synopsis of the notes my husband, Joe, took at the community panel meeting about heroin. The forum entitled “Heroine in Alabama” was presented by local National Public Radio affiliate WBHM  last week. Over 300 people attended the meeting, a testament to how serious the heroin problem is in central Alabama.  There were two panels of five people each who answered questions from a moderator and from the audience.  The panels were composed of experts in the field of drug abuse research, law enforcement, and recovery.  This segment is focusing on heroin the drug.  Joe will give a synopsis of his notes on treatment and law enforcement issues on a later blog post. 

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 Facts from the Heroin Panel Meeting at Work Play

Alabama is the number one state in the country for opiate abuse from prescription painkillers.   One theory as to why this has occurred links physician protocol to chronic pain management. In the early 1990’s it was common practice for physicians to prescribe opiates to patients with chronic pain who found little relief in over the counter medications. Physicians considered those who were low risk to opiate addiction and prescribed opiate painkillers for routine pain management.  In recent years a high incidence of abuse and addiction has made prescription painkillers much harder to obtain.  The lack of availability for prescription drugs has moved more people toward the use of heroin, which is relatively cheap, very powerful, and easy to get.  In turn, Alabama has become a large market for the drug, which is most likely manufactured in Central and South America. Drug cartels actually "brand" their heroin by labeling it, much like types of cigarettes. Also, the strength of heroin is not always consistent between batches, so the same dose could produce a high one week and lead to death by overdose the next.

 The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) lists the three worst drugs in North Alabama as Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Cocaine.  Heroin use is growing at an alarming rate, and is expected to continue to spread throughout Northern and Southern Alabama.  There still seems to be a bit of a stigma about using heroin, but it is vanishing. Drugs that are considered the pathway drugs to heroin use have little stigma at all.  Some abusers are even skipping the pathway drugs and starting with heroin.

          Heroin basically changes to morphine once it enters the body.  It attaches to nerve receptors and creates euphoria.  Unfortunately, it takes more and more of the drug to create the same feeling as the body's tolerance of the drug goes up.  A pattern soon develops in which the user needs more and more of the drug.  Some addicts say that at some point it stops being about getting high and instead becomes about just not quitting and avoiding the pain of withdrawal. They are angry they have to have the drug, but they will do almost anything to get it.  Addicts will stop seeing people as people.  They see them as either obstacles to them getting high, or instruments in helping them get high.  When addicts are high, they are mellow and euphoric.  When they are not high, they can easily become angry or violent. 

          One noted statistic:  the demographics of a heroin user are white, upper middle class, and well educated.  Most are in their twenties. Heroine is typically used in a suburban location, but purchased in an urban location.  Some addicts admitted to using heroine to cope with other life issues.

           One panelist, Judge Joyce Vance, considers heroin the most lethal drug ever.  The Birmingham area had 147 documented heroin overdoses in the past year, which is higher than the number of murders for the same year. The death rate from heroine is rising among whites.  

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I can't post a blog without a little ray of hope. So you ask, what can we do? How do we stop this monster? I do not have the answers, but I have a few suggestions. I think we need to educate people about the use, abuse, and availability of heroine. I think we need to come together as a community of faith and offer support and love for families dealing with these issues. And most importantly, we need to pray. Pray for the knowledge and wisdom of how to this situation. Pray for the families. Pray for the addicts. Pray for God to intervene! Pray! Prayer always offers a ray of hope!

                                                                                      

Just like a Carnival Ride

        It is hard to write about visiting anyone in prison and truly express the emotions and feelings that permeate before, during, and after a visit. For those who have never had the opportunity, the experience is much like a day at an amusement park complete with all the stomach turning, gut wrenching, head aching and pleasure filled moments as a trip Six Flags.  Each step is like entering a new carnival ride, uncertain of the feeling it may bring.   The anxiety and worry combine with excitement and expectation to produce a tense, uncertain, yet pleasurable sensation that remains long after the day is done.

         My husband and I start out, now on a Saturday morning, with a long trip before we reach our destination. We are excited, yet a little unsure of what lies ahead. We have on our comfortable shoes for walking the distance and standing in line. We have plenty of money for snacks since we cannot take anything with us into the establishment.

         We meet at the entrance with all the other visitors, most of whom have come early in order to get the most out of the visit. We line up in order of our arrival and sign in time. We are all there for the same reason, identical goals and objectives. We all hope for a good experience, but we know that there may be a sudden change of events that disrupts our journey.

         We wait with anticipation as we begin our first ride of the trip. When my name is called I step forward. My stomach drops. The ride begins. I hold my breath as I walk through the first tunnel. The slightest bit of unnecessary baggage will set off a loud alarm. I hold my breath and pass through in silence. I've made it through the first ride.

         I relax and enjoy a brief moment of relief before the second ride. After a prior bad experience on this ride, I feel a panic attack building. I take some deep breaths and try to convince myself that everything is going to be ok. I feel my breakfast trying to break free from my stomach but I fight it down. I smile at the attendant the whole time, but inside my head is pounding. I watch as the wand circles my thighs and buttocks area. I listen, but this time there is no electronic clicking, no printer typing, and no trace of chemical residue. I have escaped the wrath of the Ion Scanner. My head clears, my stomach settles and I head on to the third ride.

       The third ride is the most enjoyable. With the exception of a few safety issues, (They lock the doors behind you as you move from one area to the next.) this ride is pleasant and fulfilling.  It's a peaceful ride, much like a floating down the Lazy River, no ups and downs just calm, smooth gliding. I get to spend time with my son, get my share of hugs and kisses, and talk about the future and not the past. For a few hours, I get to be a mama who has nothing better to do than love on her first born. This is the time The Lord allows me to remind Matt of his purpose in life, to reassure him that God has a plan for his life, to fill him with hope.

        The last ride is quick and easy. It's a reverse of the first rides, but without the anxiety and worry. With a simple check and a notation of the time of departure, we are ready to head home. Like any day at an amusement park, it is exhausting. The constant tension that comes with uncertainty, takes both a mental and a physical toll by day's end. The best part are the memories that I keep until my next trip.

          Whether it's a trip to prison, dealing with death, disease, divorce, or any problem, we all feel like we are on a carnival ride at times.  We feel tossed and tumbled, confused and disoriented. What we need is the calm and peace of knowing things will work out. The ride is only temporary. What lasts is the peace of knowing that a savior by the name of Jesus Christ controls the ride. He can calm the sea. He can stop the ride. Even better, He can hold our hand all the way to end of the journey! Praise The Lord!