From tracking the genesis of this country’s growing problem with opiate addiction (over-prescription of painkillers) to zooming in on a local addict’s journey to rehab, the documentary paints a grim picture lurking beneath the surface of the suburbs. Midway through the video, former and current Avon Lake High School students detail how prevalent drug use is within the school itself — morphine patches in the bathroom, Oxycontin in study hall, etc.
It’s slickly produced and pretty far-reaching in its content. (The score seems almost Trent Reznoresque at times, too.)
“I completely hate heroin and everything that it does,” Blake, a former Avon Lake student says in the video. “That consumed my life for probably the last four years.” He told the BBC that he first took opiates in the library at the high school. He snorted a line of Oxycontin off a table.
Elsewhere, Mason, another local resident, reports on the progress he’s making through detox and treatment. He describes it as a very difficult path, which tracks with our reporting on what it takes to get clean.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2016.
BBC Radio did an excellent job of venturing well outside the RNC’s Green Zone to report on the real Cleveland — which was supposed to remain out of sight and out of mind.
The real Cleveland did remain out of sight and out of mind for most of the RNC visitors. Not all that many people ventured outside the downtown “safe zones”…they conducted their indoor circus at the Q, ventured over to Public Square for the outdoor ring of the circus, and visited the Rock Hall.
Most restaurants took a bath in red ink because the out-of-towners stayed close to their hotels. Fear of crime, drugs, and folks with guns kept most folks from checking out the rest of what Cleveland has to offer. They missed a lot…and it was their loss.
Chuckles the Clown
This article clearly and intentionally fails to mention and discuss the ’cause and effect’ of drug availability. Drug running across the US at levels never seen in this country by law enforcement made possible by open borders and sanctuary cities. Adversely impacting suburban communities and rural areas in numbers of people never thought possible just a few years ago. Opiates have been used as pain killers before Christ. I am not saying that the use of prescribed Opiates have not increased, it has, and will simply because the population increases – those facts are never taken into consideration with the data being developed and shared. Sure, there are those who become addicted to opiates suppressing pain from ‘whatever’ cause whether it be because of a medical condition or treatment. That being said, my point here is that this article all but blames the medical community, when in fact, the example given is that of a teenager who lacked judgement beginning his drug addiction in his school library.
I am glad this young man is winning the battle and wish him a long healthy, happy and prosperous life. But until “we” as adults collectively and effectively learn to deal with reality, putting aside political correctness, and face the facts that ‘open borders’ and ‘sanctuary cities’ (both unlawful) are having disastrous effects on our communities across our country – things will get worse. Why would it change?