Increased drug abuse in rural America

[IronBrig4]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935688/

The rural US is currently in the middle of an opioid epidemic. If Walter White were still cooking, he'd probably diversify and shift his production to OxyContin or heroin. It's getting to the point now where rural infants are increasingly being born with drug withdrawal symptoms. http://labblog.uofmhealth.org/indust...oid-withdrawal

I'm putting this in the Mudpit because the epidemic is directly related to American de-industrialization. It also contributed to the rural white resentment that characterized much of the 2016 election.

The American Journal of Public health has it down to four factors that cause rural Americans to be more likely to misuse opioids.

1. Increased sales of opioid analgesics in rural areas lead to greater availability for non-medical use through diversion (OxyContin is a go-to prescription drug and they pop it for fun)

2. Out-migration of upwardly mobile young adults from rural areas increases economic deprivation and creates an aggregation of young adults at high risk for drug use (the smart kids leave and the resulting brain drain leaves the numbskulls behind)

3. Tight kinship and social networks allow faster diffusion of nonmedical prescription opioids among those at risk (they bum pills off relatives)

4. Increasing economic deprivation and unemployment create a stressful environment that places individuals at risk (modern rural life sucks and drugs take the edge off)

Do you agree with the journal's assessment or have anything to add? I would say another reason is due to rural people being overrepresented in the military. The service hands out oxycodone like it's candy and so a lot of servicemen get hooked on the stuff. And that addiction stays with the vets even after they muster out. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2...-may-lead.html

[Heathen Hammer]

- De-criminalize and legalize drugs.
- De-fund DEA, and other government agencies and branches that enforce the prohibition.
- Use the now yuuuuge budget on things like infrastructure, education and other things that could improve the local living standards
...
- Profit.

Inb4 "b-b-but drugs are b-b-bad!". Well, duh. But demand will always generate supply, legal or not, while law enforcement agencies that enforce the prohibition of substances drain resources, thus causing drop in living standards. Essentially, the good ole big government is the root of the problem.

[IrishBlood]

- De-criminalize and legalize drugs.
- De-fund DEA, and other government agencies and branches that enforce the prohibition.
- Use the now yuuuuge budget on things like infrastructure, education and other things that could improve the local living standards
...
- Profit.

Inb4 "b-b-but drugs are b-b-bad!". Well, duh. But demand will always generate supply, legal or not, while law enforcement agencies that enforce the prohibition of substances drain resources, thus causing drop in living standards. Essentially, the good ole big government is the root of the problem.

Agreed, decriminalization and/or legalization is the most logical solution, it's working in Portugal so it should in theory work everywhere else.

Better education and infrastructure in rural areas is essential to prevent the brain drain, which should in turn improve economic conditions in the area, in turn improving opportunities.

One of the issues that you have left out however is how the American agricultural economy functions. Because the price of food is kept so low (comparative to Western Europe for example) only large farms can survive and these large farms make massive usage of economic seasonal migrant workers (illegal or otherwise) that work for very low wages. By and large locals of a rural area will understandably not want to work for wages that low, so while there are often plenty of 'jobs' in rural areas, they are pretty crappy.

The migrants that do such jobs usually do so for only as long as they can save up enough money to afford a decent living in their home country or until they find a more permanent job somewhere else in the USA with better pay + hours.

Don't get me wrong, these migrants are not the main problem. While they are taking jobs from locals, the vast majority of locals would not want such low paying jobs in the first place. The bigger issue is big companies like Walmart that drive the prices of food so low to the point where farmers have no choice but to rely on super cheap migrant labor, resulting in a lack of economic opportunity for locals in the agricultural sector unless they already own farmland.

Here's an interesting piece addressing some of those issues from the perspective of a former child migrant worker;

http://www.cracked.com/personal-expe...er-in-usa.html

[ggsimmonds]

Agreed, decriminalization and/or legalization is the most logical solution, it's working in Portugal so it should in theory work everywhere else.

Better education and infrastructure in rural areas is essential to prevent the brain drain, which should in turn improve economic conditions in the area, in turn improving opportunities.

One of the issues that you have left out however is how the American agricultural economy functions. Because the price of food is kept so low (comparative to Western Europe for example) only large farms can survive and these large farms make massive usage of economic seasonal migrant workers (illegal or otherwise) that work for very low wages. By and large locals of a rural area will understandably not want to work for wages that low, so while there are often plenty of 'jobs' in rural areas, they are pretty crappy.

The migrants that do such jobs usually do so for only as long as they can save up enough money to afford a decent living in their home country or until they find a more permanent job somewhere else in the USA with better pay + hours.

Don't get me wrong, these migrants are not the main problem. While they are taking jobs from locals, the vast majority of locals would not want such low paying jobs in the first place. The bigger issue is big companies like Walmart that drive the prices of food so low to the point where farmers have no choice but to rely on super cheap migrant labor, resulting in a lack of economic opportunity for locals in the agricultural sector unless they already own farmland.

Here's an interesting piece addressing some of those issues from the perspective of a former child migrant worker;

http://www.cracked.com/personal-expe...er-in-usa.html

In my Donald Trump voice -- wrong.

Just because something works in one place does not mean it works in another

[Heathen Hammer]

There are plenty of alternative analgesics available already but whatever apparently without weed we are doomed to abuse drugs.

Weed doesn't cost much and is easily affordable. Its effects are also less harmful the opiates.

In my Donald Trump voice -- wrong.

Just because something works in one place does not mean it works in another

Human nature is the same. Drugs are too, kinda.

[Napoleonic Bonapartism]

In my Donald Trump voice -- wrong.

Just because something works in one place does not mean it works in another

So Americans are just predisposed towards drug abuse?

[ggsimmonds]

So Americans are just predisposed towards drug abuse?

Of course it is not that simple. How is the diversity in Portugal? What can be said about minority groups? What is the crime like in Portugal? Gangs? Is Spain anything like Mexico? Mexico and Latin America have a pretty lucrative drug trade going, and much of it flows to the US.

I lean towards favoring the decriminalization of drugs, but not because "it worked in Portugal"

[IronBrig4]

- De-criminalize and legalize drugs.

The problem is OxyContin and other prescription painkillers are already legal. Decriminalizing them won't do anything. Let's say someone strains their back. The doctor prescribes them some heavy painkillers to take twice a day as needed. The patient gets better and doesn't need those pills anymore, so they still have half a bottle remaining. Then their family and friends dive into the pills. Their lives suck and they want something that will let them forget for a while. That's also probably why rural populations have a higher alcoholism rate than urban areas.

[Heathen Hammer]

The problem is OxyContin and other prescription painkillers are already legal. Decriminalizing them won't do anything. Let's say someone strains their back. The doctor prescribes them some heavy painkillers to take twice a day as needed. The patient gets better and doesn't need those pills anymore, so they still have half a bottle remaining. Then their family and friends dive into the pills. Their lives suck and they want something that will let them forget for a while. That's also probably why rural populations have a higher alcoholism rate than urban areas.

And again, the reason why they take those pills is due to bad living standards caused by corruption and mismanagement by federal government. Just look what happened in Oregon where local population almost started a rebellion due to federal government's idiotic policies. Legalization of drugs could also bring healthier and more natural alternatives to oxies.
Let's be honest here - humans did drugs since the dawn of time. There is nothing wrong with using substances, we just need to make sure its done in healthier and more natural way.

[the_mango55]

And again, the reason why they take those pills is due to bad living standards caused by corruption and mismanagement by federal government.

Did you just do a non-ironic "thanks Obama" for the drug problem in rural America?

[IronBrig4]

And again, the reason why they take those pills is due to bad living standards caused by corruption and mismanagement by federal government. Just look what happened in Oregon where local population almost started a rebellion due to federal government's idiotic policies. Legalization of drugs could also bring healthier and more natural alternatives to oxies.

The federal government didn't force the -kickers to snort OxyContin. It didn't force them to beat their spouses, drink themselves into oblivion, get teen pregnant, or blow their own brains out. All those societal ills are way over-represented in rural populations, by the way. The feds also didn't force local businesses to relocate to Mexico or China. You can thank the private sphere for that. Blame the CEOs who decided to lay off their rural employees in favor of Third World coolies.

Once again, the criminals in that Oregon refuge weren't from the area. In fact, most of the local population wanted them gone. Other militiamen and locals turned them in, one of them got put in the ground, eleven plead guilty, and the others got off on a technicality.

I'd also be very wary about "natural alternatives." That's how you get the homeopathic snake oil potions.

Anyways, conservative commentators have made it a habit to blame "inner-city culture" for urban problems over past forty years. Rural culture has largely been given a free pass because most Americans still think of country types as "aww shucks" Okies from Muskogee who might not have all those fancy degrees, but they have common sense and they chose a good simple life. They go to church on Sunday, the men don't wear their hair long, and they don't smoke marijuana. It's part of the rural self-image. But there is something wrong with rural culture if it produces nothing but crystal meth and pill-poppers.

[Heathen Hammer]

The federal government didn't force the -kickers to snort OxyContin. It didn't force them to beat their spouses, drink themselves into oblivion, get teen pregnant, or blow their own brains out. All those societal ills are way over-represented in rural populations, by the way. The feds also didn't force local businesses to relocate to Mexico or China. You can thank the private sphere for that. Blame the CEOs who decided to lay off their rural employees in favor of Third World coolies.

Poor living standards are the direct result of federal government being incompetent and corrupt. Hence why major corporations get a free pass to over general population with fed's blessing. Hopefully, things will start to change now that a a less inept government has been elected.

Once again, the criminals in that Oregon refuge weren't from the area. In fact, most of the local population wanted them gone. Other militiamen and locals turned them in, one of them got put in the ground, eleven plead guilty, and the others got off on a technicality.

Fact of the matter is that protesters in Oregon wouldn't have to do what they did if it wasn't for federal government's idiotic and incompetent policies. Which is why local population sided with the protesters, while the viewed the federal government as the enemy, since those protesters were representing the interests of the people of Oregon and opposed the feds, which population hates. Of course, legacy media would paint another picture, but that's not surprising, given how its been the government's propaganda arm for many years now.

I'd also be very wary about "natural alternatives." That's how you get the homeopathic snake oil potions.

Certain natural alternatives have been tested by time. But of course, the issue is that government would only approve substance that it can tax. So again, the onjly way to improve the situation would be culling of federal government and all the related agencies, that would reduce bureaucracy and thus improve the living standards of the population.

Anyways, conservative commentators have made it a habit to blame "inner-city culture" for urban problems over past forty years. Rural culture has largely been given a free pass because most Americans still think of country types as "aww shucks" Okies from Muskogee who might not have all those fancy degrees, but they have common sense and they chose a good simple life. They go to church on Sunday, the men don't wear their hair long, and they don't smoke marijuana. It's part of the rural self-image. But there is something wrong with rural culture if it produces nothing but crystal meth and pill-poppers.

The issues caused by inner-city culture are obvious, just by looking st crime statistics in places like Detroit or Chiraq, while the whole "meth-cooking redneck" stereotype is just a product of Hollywood.

[IrishBlood]

The problem is OxyContin and other prescription painkillers are already legal. Decriminalizing them won't do anything. Let's say someone strains their back. The doctor prescribes them some heavy painkillers to take twice a day as needed. The patient gets better and doesn't need those pills anymore, so they still have half a bottle remaining. Then their family and friends dive into the pills. Their lives suck and they want something that will let them forget for a while. That's also probably why rural populations have a higher alcoholism rate than urban areas.

Their lives suck in a large part because of the state of American agriculture that I pointed out above. There's contributing factors to everything.

Legalizing drugs would certainly help those that end up moving on to the harder drugs, but clearly there needs to be a serious revision on the kind of clearly addictive medications that are being handed out.

[Heathen Hammer]

Did you just do a non-ironic "thanks Obama" for the drug problem in rural America?

The problem existed for a while before Obama was elected. Obama didn't start the problem, he just continued representing it.

Their lives suck in a large part because of the state of American agriculture that I pointed out above. There's contributing factors to everything.

Legalizing drugs would certainly help those that end up moving on to the harder drugs, but clearly there needs to be a serious revision on the kind of clearly addictive medications that are being handed out.

And given how these regions rely on agriculture, legalization could help a great deal, its a whole new line of business, essentially.

[the_mango55]

Big Pharma is to blame for 90% of this, deregulation will just make it worse.

[athanaric]

Big Pharma is to blame for 90% of this, deregulation will just make it worse.

They may be contributing to the problem, but they're not responsible for the underlying socio-economic and cultural crises.

[Copperknickers II]

Big Pharma is to blame for 90% of this, deregulation will just make it worse.

If that was true, why do we have the same problem in the UK and other countries without a major medical industry? Well, OK, we do have big pharma here too and there is a bit of a tendency for doctors to overmedicate, but you can't get huge quantities of high-strength drugs over the counter here like you can in the US, and since most people don't pay for treatment there's much less money in the pharmacy trade.

The main problem of drugs is not legality, nor corporate drug dealers, it's socioeconomics. If people had jobs and were financially secure and had more activities and opportunities, they'd be much less likely to use drugs. The rural economy these days in post-industrial countries is going nowhere, because the traditional rural job creators such as natural resource extraction, agriculture, manufacturing and also local services are all moribund industries: natural resource extraction and manufacturing for obvious reasons, agriculture for the reasons which Irish Blood gives above (also because of the general trends of mechanisation and the decreasing cost of food imports) and local services because so many things can be done digitally and in a more centralised manner these days, and also because the service sector requires basic infrastructure such as good internet which is lacking in many rural areas. These problems of course are linked to those in urban areas too, espeically formerly industrial inner city areas.

[SorelusImperion]

People abuse a legal and easily available drug ! Lets legalize other drugs !

[Heathen Hammer]

People abuse a legal and easily available drug ! Lets legalize other drugs !

Yes, because government bans healthier and less addictive drugs, because, surprise, only things government can't tax are bad.

[SorelusImperion]

There are plenty of alternative analgesics available already but whatever apparently without weed we are doomed to abuse drugs.