12 Comments
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Jonathan Allen's avatar

Good for you for kicking it.

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Diane Porter's avatar

I learned surprising stuff in this piece. Masterfully written. And the photos, wow! I feel a delicious intoxication in the poppy picture. The addict photo is gorgeous and at the same time communicates personal disaster.

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Terry J. Allen's avatar

Thank you. I am somewhat conflicted about showing the addict's face, but there he was on a public street--yet all by himself, in a way. Still.

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Nancy Disenhaus's avatar

Thank you for this moving pair of photos and your comments on the greed that fuels the misery pipeline.

Nancy Disenhaus

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Terry J. Allen's avatar

Thanks, Nancy. i really appreciate your thoughtful comments.

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Edie Shedd's avatar

But these poor men(and women) have to make money! Damn them!

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Jonathan Allen's avatar

Thanks for an excellent, almost poetic piece of writing which also makes some vitally important points.

Is it possible that some people an inherent (genetic?) propensity to become addicted to products like alcohol, tobacco, or opioids? One or two doses and you're hooked! If this is so, then a test for this propensity would be most helpful.

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Diane Porter's avatar

If you don't take them, you can't get addicted.

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Terry J. Allen's avatar

Yes, but they are essential for the compassionate treatment of severe pain and most people who take them carefully do not become addicted, especially if prescription is not guided by Sackler misinformation in service to greed. That said, clearly my recreational use was risky.

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Diane Porter's avatar

Yes, they are necessary and a blessing, except when something goes wrong.

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Terry J. Allen's avatar

Yes there does seem to be a genetic component to addiction. The only one that hooked me was tobacco.

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nameless's avatar

Such a beautiful and concise statement about a problem that has roots in greed and its tentacles in people's bodies and souls.

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