Note to Texas journalists: Stop saying Texas has "fewer" overdoses than other states. It's not true. Texas has a lower RATE of overdoses than many other states, but because we're so populous, that still adds up to a lot of folks: 1,287 in 2015 alone - about the same as the number of murders that year (1,316), so no small thing. Texas ranked 8th nationally among states in total overdose deaths.
Texas' leaders have chosen to bury their heads in the sand over opiod overdoses, adopting hard-nosed policy stances which have cost lives. Understating Texas' overdose problem improperly lets them off the hook.
Northern New England has seen a spike in “heroin deaths”, but not really — heroin overdoses have remained stable over the years.
ReplyDeleteWhat we have actually seen is a spike in “heroin related deaths”. Most overdoses are actually caused by fentanyl, a potent prescription synthetic opiate that is added to heroin to increase potency.
it is nice to blame one thing for death of men and women, but these creatures
ReplyDeleteare living in loving on the borders of crazy and crazier! the creature in spring is violent and depressed from the winters cycles and then the summer cycles open the doors to more death by any one thing that is popular.
list he the many things that are on the minds of the person before they expired, there may be an over load of stressed emotions and nowhere to take them for exchange of fellowship, comfort and a little joy. When Christians hit their high fever of spiritual joy, they are vulnerable to the many messages of death and dissociation of this world. So, who do you blame? and who is logging in on this campaign of death watch for us? for the legislators, the police? what is the purpose, and who are you to say that every death you log is because of overdose alone?
@ francis garcia, this blog focuses on the justice system, which is to say, on government, which in a free society is not in the business of evaluating "the many things that are on the minds of the person." Your thoughts are your own, society may only judge and punish you for your deeds.
ReplyDeleteFurther, it's not for me, or you, but the medical examiner, to say if a death was caused by an overdose. For those that are, some could have been prevented if their friends could have called 911 without being prosecuted or if DSHS had followed through securing money to get Naloxone in the hands of first responders. If an addict overdoses but their friends call 911 and they live, or a police officer administers Naloxone and saves them, whether they live or die has nothing to do with what's "on their mind," which in answer to your question is why I didn't address it. I am not looking for people to blame, I'm looking for ways to reduce the number of overdose deaths. What is your goal?