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scorpiogirl

(717 posts)

133. My brother was found the same way

Tue Feb 4, 2014, 05:59 PM

Feb 2014

In 2002 at the age of 33 except it was morphine. He was found sitting in his truck parked at the end of a street in the Hollywood Hills. This was a month after we learned our mother had colon cancer. He struggled with addiction since he was 13. His death was ruled accidental but I always wondered because he was so dependent on my mom if he did it on purpose. His own father was addicted to heroin and committed suicide 11 days after he was born. Maybe his body just gave out from the on and off abuse? He was supposed to have been clean when this happened. I truly believe he was a tortured soul and I don't generally believe in that kind of thing. I don't really know if the openness of treatment or making it legal would have helped him or not. He did a lot of rehab and some jail and still ended his life with a needle in his arm. He was looking for something he would never find in that realm.

Another statistic's story.

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Being found dead with a needle in your arm is not a human right [View all] Renew Deal Feb 2014 OP

Step 1 ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #1

Will it be more successful than the decriminalization of alcohol? Renew Deal Feb 2014 #3

What? ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #4

+1 daleanime Feb 2014 #44

Damn skippy. MrScorpio Feb 2014 #108

you know that 80 proof bottle of whiskey you bought at the package store.. frylock Feb 2014 #128

+1 cinnabonbon Feb 2014 #88

While I completely agree with you... Javaman Feb 2014 #114

Decriminalization can work. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #2

Thats not their final conclusion...... Historic NY Feb 2014 #109

Some drugs are illegal yet people still get them, become addicted and some die. What else are we neverforget Feb 2014 #5

The intent is to decriminalize drugs. NutmegYankee Feb 2014 #6

I agree with you almost 100% on this post, so it saved me from a lot of typing :-) The *only* thing Ghost in the Machine Feb 2014 #101

You have assumed that Bohunk68 Feb 2014 #106

I don't "assume" anything. I speak from 40+ years of my own experience. Oh, and by the way, Ghost in the Machine Feb 2014 #115

I appreciate the information. NutmegYankee Feb 2014 #136

It damn well IS a human right Geddy Ringo Feb 2014 #7

I guess that must make it a big corpporation's right to dump toxic chemicals BainsBane Feb 2014 #10

What in the world? Egnever Feb 2014 #15

Govt off our backs. It's the same thing BainsBane Feb 2014 #16

So fuck abortion then right? Egnever Feb 2014 #30

Ironically Ayn Rand was all for abortion. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #37

Good job outing the strawman. Springslips Feb 2014 #127

So what exactly is it you want? BainsBane Feb 2014 #47

I want the Portuguese model. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #51

Once again wild leaps from control of ones own body Egnever Feb 2014 #54

If you can't be bothered to state your position BainsBane Feb 2014 #63

LOL and another ridiculous response. Egnever Feb 2014 #84

A ridiculous response BainsBane Feb 2014 #91

Good lord Egnever Feb 2014 #97

The situation we have right now is, even a terminally ill person in crippling pain can't make that Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #64

Do you think the 100 people who died in the past couple of months BainsBane Feb 2014 #67

I think the drug war as it stands is NOT working. Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #72

You are ignoring my points BainsBane Feb 2014 #73

No, I'm not. Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #74

You did so in a mocking tone BainsBane Feb 2014 #92

Oh no, not the "tone argument" again! Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #96

I tend to agree with you davidpdx Feb 2014 #105

Of course there is a philosophy that can allow freedom while strongly regulating business. MicaelS Feb 2014 #121

Also selling stuff to people that will kill them is a perfect Randian eugenics program. n/t freshwest Feb 2014 #21

If you decriminalize there are still punishments for dealers. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #23

There seem to be a lot of people on DU of late who hate everything about government BainsBane Feb 2014 #26

There are right and left libertarians. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #32

You talk alot and don't bother to find out what people think BainsBane Feb 2014 #39

I work with addicts. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #42

Trying to peg someone as a libertarian based on one issue is not a very bright tactic. AtheistCrusader Feb 2014 #58

Well, when they admit to being libertarian BainsBane Feb 2014 #60

There are certainly left-leaning civil libertarians. AtheistCrusader Feb 2014 #75

True. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #61

There is an innate libertarianism within all of us. How much we want in politics is up to debate. freshwest Feb 2014 #79

Arresting people for being sick is authoritarian right wing nonsense. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #22

I said nothing about sending people to prision BainsBane Feb 2014 #25

When you actually say something, I'll listen. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #28

Your words lack logic quakerboy Feb 2014 #98

I get just as upset about getting behind a wheel buzzed... MrMickeysMom Feb 2014 #14

What you do with your body and life has consequences for others. TygrBright Feb 2014 #31

I have a sister in law who is an addict, and I see the pain it inflicts on my brother and liberal_at_heart Feb 2014 #33

No one is pretending that damage doesn't happen. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #34

The poster I was responding to asserted: TygrBright Feb 2014 #56

The punitive approach doesn't work Warpy Feb 2014 #46

I don't think I advocated the "punitive approach," did I? TygrBright Feb 2014 #52

Everything has consequences. DeSwiss Feb 2014 #57

You Win the Thread. I'm going to study that post for a while. Thanks. n/t freshwest Feb 2014 #68

we already have laws against all of those "consequences." there are laws against DUI, TheFrenchRazor Feb 2014 #132

This. DeSwiss Feb 2014 #55

I just wish the government would mandate soma for everyone. Kablooie Feb 2014 #8

It's mostly the black market that kills people. LeftyMom Feb 2014 #9

My response to the death of PSH is: what a tragedy. what a loss RainDog Feb 2014 #11

Your drug war has failed, wax as moral and high sounding as you please TheKentuckian Feb 2014 #12

What do the chemicals have to do with it? defacto7 Feb 2014 #13

Rat Park experiments. delrem Feb 2014 #17

I'd say its more of a human wrong no matter what the law says. Kablooie Feb 2014 #18

Overdoses happen mostly because the drugs are illegal Warpy Feb 2014 #19

Well said. Egnever Feb 2014 #100

You can argue that all you want to, but you have no control over what other people do. Rex Feb 2014 #20

I agree... ReRe Feb 2014 #24

Expressed so very well. Thanks, ReRe. n/t freshwest Feb 2014 #27

Thanks, freshwest ReRe Feb 2014 #45

+1 liberal_at_heart Feb 2014 #29

This part of what you wrote: Jamastiene Feb 2014 #135

since heroin's illegal, i guess mr. hoffman's not dead. nt. TheFrenchRazor Feb 2014 #35

If people are stupid enough to kill themselves while doing drugs, that's their business. Vashta Nerada Feb 2014 #36

He had a disease. ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #38

I agree. Vashta Nerada Feb 2014 #41

We are fighting a war in heroine heaven, otherwise known as Afghanistan. JDPriestly Feb 2014 #40

wtf does desiring harm reduction in our drug policies Starry Messenger Feb 2014 #43

Hey guys let's continue Reagan's failed war on drugs!!!!!!!! ForgoTheConsequence Feb 2014 #48

Oh, there are a bunch of Reagan policies which get certain folks all misty eyed and excited. Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #50

nostalgia..nt Jesus Malverde Feb 2014 #81

I believe peoples' bodies fundamentally belong to themselves: not to the Government, or "God". Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #49

You had me at "blargle farlgle narglehopper" davidthegnome Feb 2014 #59

Some people looooove their labels. Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #62

Yes, it's a keeper. He wins the internets. Now I'll have to get a translation of that term. freshwest Feb 2014 #66

I googled it, and all I got was dish.com offering something called a "free hopper upgrade" Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #85

Besides, who here is calling for all drugs to be legalized? The OP is making wild assumptions Rex Feb 2014 #76

I haven't seen that point argued here, seriously. Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #77

True if the DEA actually fought drugs that were killing us en mass they would go after Big Pharma. Rex Feb 2014 #86

And the argument that "if you let PEOPLE do what they want, corporations will run amok!" Warren DeMontague Feb 2014 #87

correct. nt TheFrenchRazor Feb 2014 #134

Your BS prohibition rant has consequences too. Like a higher usage rate of heroin. AtheistCrusader Feb 2014 #53

Heroin use, according to experts, is up 79% because of LEGAL drugs BainsBane Feb 2014 #94

Not the same issue but AtheistCrusader Feb 2014 #99

I want to decriminalize drugs. I certainly don't want to see ecstatic Feb 2014 #65

Here's the thing that anti-drug zealots don't get: Spider Jerusalem Feb 2014 #69

.... DeSwiss Feb 2014 #70

There is no such thing as human rights. ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #71

Well, if no one has any rights, then what was the harm? kcr Feb 2014 #83

The harm in what? ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #89

The supposed harm caused by the myth of human rights n/t kcr Feb 2014 #110

OK. I wasn't sure if you meant that harm ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #117

You don't see the connection? kcr Feb 2014 #118

I used that example because I burnt myself while baking pizza. ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #120

Absolutely, let's keep people from being total assholes kcr Feb 2014 #122

That might be true. nt ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #123

Of course there is such a thing as human rights, it came into existence the moment Rex Feb 2014 #125

Either way, the claim it doesn't exist is inaccurate. n/t kcr Feb 2014 #126

Drug War SamKnause Feb 2014 #78

The distinction between human rights and legal rights is an illusion. merrily Feb 2014 #80

I'm all for protecting people. davidthegnome Feb 2014 #82

We didn't learn from prohibition did we? OwnedByCats Feb 2014 #90

Another screed from an authoritarian that believes they know better than you how to conduct Egalitarian Thug Feb 2014 #93

If I 'm the one who put the needle in my arm Mr.Bill Feb 2014 #95

More treatment options get the red out Feb 2014 #102

Who said ot was, oh, YOU DID DiverDave Feb 2014 #103

I ask myself that from time to time. Rex Feb 2014 #124

All drugs should be legal. The consequences you speak of are not on B Calm Feb 2014 #104

That's the way they find them. Orrex Feb 2014 #107

What are your thoughts on prison? lame54 Feb 2014 #111

Suicide is a human right. former9thward Feb 2014 #112

I agree. HappyMe Feb 2014 #113

Either we own our bodies and can make decisions about what we do with them, JoeyT Feb 2014 #116

Drugs should be legal... ALL of them. Glassunion Feb 2014 #119

He probably died of acetyl fentanyl spiked heroin FarCenter Feb 2014 #129

screw that Trajan Feb 2014 #130

A person's "rants" as you call them, have no consequences Jamastiene Feb 2014 #131

My brother was found the same way scorpiogirl Feb 2014 #133

Keeping it illegal sure as hell didn't save Hoffman Nevernose Feb 2014 #137