Community Chat

[Mz iMac]

Prince’s Half-Sister Sharon Nelson on His Death, Fentanyl Crisis

Fentanyl, the super-potent opioid, has emerged as the most dangerous new drug in a generation. For many, it wasn’t a household term until Prince died suddenly in April 2016 after taking the drug. But over the past decade, fentanyl was also a factor in the fatal overdoses of several other rock & roll artists and, last November, rising rapper Lil Peep died at 21 after taking a combination of fentanyl and Xanax. And according to reports, the drug is spreading and being cut into heroin, making the epidemic even worse.

In a new 20/20 segment, ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff investigates the drug by shedding light on families who have lost people to fentanyl. He also travels to China in search of undercover labs that may be responsible for online sales and shipping the drug to the United States. In this clip from the segment — which airs Friday, September 28th at 10 p.m. — Prince’s half-sister, Sharon Nelson, talks about her view on fentanyl and the affect of the singer’s dying.

“He wouldn’t have taken a pill like that at all. When you’re in pain, you’re going to take a pill, hoping it relieves it,” she says. “You’re not thinking like that; you’re not thinking like a normal person who isn’t in pain. … After all that’s happened to Prince, I know, I can say for sure, his fans will never take that pill.”

rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/prince-death-fentanyl-opioid-sharon-nelson-728499/

[sidsmom]

On the law enforcement side, police are afraid of this drug.

For their safety.

Just having it open in a general area, they can breath or touch it

and it can be a trip to the ER for them. Nasty, nasty stuff.

[Bird mama]

Hey girl @Mz iMac  I'd heard about this a couple of days ago and I appreciate the heads up from you.  I sincerely doubt that I will watch this later on.  His family gets on my nerves, especially Sharon 

[Laura14]

He didn't know how deadly C-II drugs can be and neither do most patients which is why we have the crisis we have now. 

This rests squarely on the doctors who were warned to knock it off and neither they nor the insurance companies bothered until this year when the lawsuits started piling up.  

As of January 1, most insurance companies now will not pay for anything longer than what they deem medically necessary which is usually 7 days tops.  That was the original intent of these drugs. 

If any more than that is prescribed, the insurance company wants your doctor on the phone for an explanation before they approve any further payments.  About time.   

[Mz iMac]

@Laura14

You can purchase fentanyl on the streets for as low as $30 for a 50 mcg/h patch.  No rx needed.

[Laura14]

@Mz iMac  Most addicts wth opiod addictions purchase from a doctor's office first and then go to the streets after they are cut off and the doctor doesn't want to or know how to deal with the addiction they inadvertently created with their patients.