Community Chat

[skatting44]

With such an increase in the amount of black market pills  circulating in the US along with dramatic rise in deaths of people / children from Fentanyl pills , how many on these boards are being proactive in talking to their children/ grandchildren  about not using any illegal drugs .

[piperbay]

I will will discuss what is happening in the news with my millenial kids, and that includes this horrible situation about fentanyl.

[skatting44]

@piperbay 

yes, I have already done so , along with friends. So many stories of  parents who said their son was an athlete who got a " percocet " for back pain whom they found dead due to fentanyl or the medical student who bought what she thought was Adderal to study for an exam who was found dead.  Now Rainbow colored pills looking like candy  can taget younger children

[mimomof4]

Yes I have had this conversation with my kids.  I will be honest that I have a 17 year old that has smoked pot many times.  We have warned him over and over that people lace pot with other stuff but sadly I don't think it clicks in with him.  He feels that since he knows the person he gets it from it is OK.  As parents we are NOT supportive of his smoking which is a whole other story.  His therapist, probation officer, and psychiatrist have warned him many times.

[skatting44]

@mimomof4 

 I do feel for you with the situation with your son . I had a sibling who  drowned in the world of drug addiction  that started with smoking pot .

Years ago Some teens experimented with drugs and did not become addicted , however  many did become addicted . Now a days with fentanyl laced substances there's no room to experiment as  many are dying

[Oznell]

@skatting44,  how good of you to initiate this very important discussion about Fentanyl.

It is now literally pouring into the U.S.,  and like you and other parents, we've had this discussion.  Even though our son is 22 and an adult, we all know how situations can arise and impulsive decisions can result in lives of wreckage and death.   The person taking the drug can even sometimes be deceived, and innocently thinking it is not an illicit, deadly drug like Fentanyl.

I too, was appalled to see the pretty, rainbow-colored pills, with their candy-like allure.

@mimomof4,   good for you as parents.   It's very difficult, as often the culture makes it very hard to take the stand you have.  But you have the best interests of your son first and foremost.   Stay strong--  I will pray that your good counsel and those of his other support systems, ultimately gets through.

As one who worked for years in substance abuse treatment, I know something of the nature of the ongoing struggle. 

[CelticCrafter]

This is just my own opinion but it won't be long before it makes it's way into hospital administered pain killers or pain killers picked up from the pharmacy.

When my husband had surgery last year, before he even went back to recovery he was given fentanyl and morphine. 

They prescribed Oxycodone for home if he needed it.  We're glad he didn't need it.

[Mindy D]

Fentanyl has led the States to a lower overall life expectancy. "Life expectancy at birth fell to 76.1 years, the lowest it has been in the US since 1996, and the biggest 2-year decline in a century." The decline is primarily due to COVID and to drug related deaths, especially from fentanyl. 

Quote is from CNN online," US life expectancy lowest in decades after dropping nearly a full year in 2021'l by Deidre McPhillips, Aug. 31, 2022

US life expectancy lowest in decades after dropping nearly a full year in 2021

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN

Updated 12:01 AM ET, Wed August 31, 2022

[Porcelain]

I would hope that all American parents would teach their children to obey the law and to not take unprescribed drugs. Kind of a no brainer, isn't it? It's also covered in public school.

What kind of parents would assume they didn't need to instruct their children about such things as obeying the law and taking good care of your body?

Maybe if they home school there might not be a DARE module? Maybe they don't have to teach about health? I don't know.

Edited to add, if we're talking about adult children, I tend to think they're more aware of what is going on in the world than we are. They are even more plugged in. If they use recreational drugs or are in the grip of an addiction, they are using those drugs while knowing there are dangerous additives circulating around that could kill them.

They likely (possibly wrongly!) assume they know how to avoid those dangers. And yes they could be wrong and die due to their misplaced confidence in their ability to detect and avoid danger.

[spent2much]

@mimomof4  Our son started smoking pot as a teenager and then it moved on to harder drugs.  

He's now 43, married to a wonderful gal, has 3 kids and goes to church 3 times a week.  

Thank you, Lord.