The subject of late (no pun intended) is Phillip Seymour Hoffman and drugs. He overdosed on heroin. I've heard past interviews with him (Terry Gross on NPR and Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes)--you could tell he was pretty guarded and maybe high. No judgement just opinion. His life belongs to him. If he wants to f..k it up, up to him. I don't have any sense of personal loss other than what the f..k would cause a talented actor to be so stupid. Addiction, I guess.
Maybe we'll be awakened from our stupor about the danger of drugs. Here's what I think has happened with us. With the legalizing of pot in CO and Washington State, Americans who give a s..t, have kind of said, "drugs are OK." F..K NO. Wake up and smell the roses. Come out from underneath the ether. What have you been smoking?
(Marijuana)
Maybe Hoffman's death will spur us on to realize what dope can do. And, pot is dope. Let's face it, it is the primary gateway drug to other drugs. And, trust me on this: I have beaucoup data.
I have never known an addict who didn't start with pot. I am not some evangelist for recognizing that there aren't pot smokers who use it recreationally. But, let's get away from this bullshit that marijuana
is a harmless drug. It ain't! And, if I had my way, I would be enforcing the drug laws and be all over CO and Washington State like white on rice. Medical pot I would go for. Even as much a sham as that is, anyone who wants to legally smoke pot, has to go to some trouble.
Already Hoffman's death has sparked lots of talk as to where we are in America with drugs. From what I've heard, there seems to be a pattern with heroin addiction of the Hoffman kind. Prescription drugs, then the addicts reach a point where they either can't get them any longer or they become too expensive. They go to a much cheaper heroin--a complicated transition. Some get hooked, others don't; differences in drugs, alcohol, on and on.
What is the answer? There is no answer. I feel so sorry for loved ones who have to live with this. One kid said this, "I hurt my parents with my lying, alcoholism, eating disorder, drug addiction and suicide attempts." What can you do about this? Nothing but the very best we can.
In my experience of counseling soldiers, I had very little success and the Army didn't help. With the Volunteer Army which has now produced a recruitment scandal, they gave soldiers a "piss" (sorry to be so crude, I am trying to make a point) test and if they tested positive, threw them out of the military. That was about as helpful in facing the problem as telling an obese person, "just eat a carrot." Stupid.
To me, the only thing us drugstore cowboys (meaning those of us standing on the sidelines), can offer: for goodness sakes, don't fall into "denial." Face it. If your son or daughter or whoever has a drug problem, own up. The late Carroll O'Conner, my good Irish buddy, known as Archie Bunker, said about his son who committed suicide, something like this, "get between your children and drugs any way you can." In other words, don't deny. Face it and get help. There is help out there and don't give up till you find it.
Already Hoffman's death has sparked lots of talk as to where we are in America with drugs. From what I've heard, there seems to be a pattern with heroin addiction of the Hoffman kind. Prescription drugs, then the addicts reach a point where they either can't get them any longer or they become too expensive. They go to a much cheaper heroin--a complicated transition. Some get hooked, others don't; differences in drugs, alcohol, on and on.
What is the answer? There is no answer. I feel so sorry for loved ones who have to live with this. One kid said this, "I hurt my parents with my lying, alcoholism, eating disorder, drug addiction and suicide attempts." What can you do about this? Nothing but the very best we can.
In my experience of counseling soldiers, I had very little success and the Army didn't help. With the Volunteer Army which has now produced a recruitment scandal, they gave soldiers a "piss" (sorry to be so crude, I am trying to make a point) test and if they tested positive, threw them out of the military. That was about as helpful in facing the problem as telling an obese person, "just eat a carrot." Stupid.
To me, the only thing us drugstore cowboys (meaning those of us standing on the sidelines), can offer: for goodness sakes, don't fall into "denial." Face it. If your son or daughter or whoever has a drug problem, own up. The late Carroll O'Conner, my good Irish buddy, known as Archie Bunker, said about his son who committed suicide, something like this, "get between your children and drugs any way you can." In other words, don't deny. Face it and get help. There is help out there and don't give up till you find it.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman telegraphed his intentions and somebody should have taken him, as my brother use to say, by the knap of the neck and kicked his ass until he woke up.
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