primitives discuss cops "stalking" druggies

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026271052

Oh my.

xchrom (108,860 posts)   Tue Feb 24, 2015, 07:18 AM

Cruel and Illegal:Police are Stalking Methadone Clinics to Target and Harass Patients
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/how-cops-profile-methadone-patients

Courtney's life spiraled out of control when she became e dependent on opiates. After years of struggling with addiction, the 31-year-old Texas native heard about methadone treatment, a therapy in which patients take daily doses of medicine to control cravings for illicit opiates. Courtney enrolled as a patient at a methadone clinic outside Austin. She began visiting the clinic daily for a dose of methadone, which helped eliminate her cravings, and slowly, began to pick up the other pieces of her life. That changed the day she became the victim of illegal profiling by police.

One hot day in September 2014 as Courtney was exiting the methadone clinic parking lot, a police cruiser pulled her over for making a wide turn. Two officers, a male and female, ordered her out of the car. The male officer stood close to her, breathing heavily and looking her up and down. Courtney was terrified and shaky. Though she tested negative for illicit substances and had no prior or drug or alcohol charges, for the next hour the cops put her through a series of sobriety tests. Frightened and exhausted, Courtney finally broke down crying. She was arrested and charged with driving under the influence despite the fact that methadone does not cause driving impairment and she had taken no other substances.

Ralph was a methadone patient in West Virginia. He had a steady job, no outstanding warrants or charges, and thanks to his treatment, hadn’t taken any illicit drugs in years. Every two weeks he drove an hour to the clinic to collect take-home doses. But one afternoon as he was leaving, a West Virginia state trooper pulled him over for going 5 miles* over the speed limit. The trooper forced Ralph to take a field sobriety test, which he passed, and searched his car. Unable to charge Ralph with anything, the frustrated trooper dumped the methadone into the gravel and drove away. Ralph was devastated. Without the medicine, his cravings for opiates could come back and put him at risk of relapse. He also worried he might lose his take-home privileges at the methadone clinic and be required to visit every day, which could affect his job. He didn’t know what to do.

*sounds reasonable; in Nebraska, given the absence of any other signs of mischief, one can get away with 4 mph over the speed limit, but not more.

LuvNewcastle (7,469 posts)   Tue Feb 24, 2015, 07:44 AM

1. They're coming down hard on pain clinics too.

I was going to a pain clinic, but I quit because they were treating me like a criminal over my stupid Norcos. They don't even work that well. They certainly are not worth all that bullshit. Got to keep that drug war going, I guess.

How long are people supposed to be on these things anyway?

<<<really doesn't know.

[diesel driver]

I call BS on the entire story.

First place, if you pass a field sobriety test, they have nothing to charge you with, and unless you are acting like a complete ass, they will leave you alone.

Second place, I spent 20 years driving the highways and byways of WV, and either by inattention or whatever, have had the honor of meeting a few of their state, county, and local LEO's.  As a general rule (although TOTALLY up to the discretion of the LEO), if you are doing less than 10mph over the speed limit, you get a warning ticket.  The officer has no reason to search your car unless you are acting LIKE AN ASS, and WILL NOT disrespect your personal property by "throwing it into the gravel".  I personally know a few WV State Troopers, I know several VA State Troopers (my second cousin IS one!), I'm personal friends with the local sheriff and many of the deputies, because I live in a small community, and everybody knows everybody.

DUmmie xtrachrom is FOS!!!

[DumbAss Tanker]

At best, a highly-edited slant on the story.  I've been back and forth through WV many, many times, and a speed trap it definitely isn't.  On top of that, if they guy's doses were ruined, he could always take back the wreckage and explain what happened to the clinic instead of going out to buy street drugs (Yeah, sounds like he's really super-committed to the whole clean-and-sober thing, dunnit?). 

[redwhit]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026271052


How long are people supposed to be on these things anyway?

<<<really doesn't know.

This is actually a real issue.  The original theory is that people were to be weaned off of methadone in slow, relatively safe steps.  The problems are twofold:

1. Methadone has a worse "kick" than heroin, the withdrawals are far more difficult and debilitating
2. Methadone is a guaranteed money-maker for addiction clinics that are barely able to keep the lights on as it is

The latest miracle drug, suboxone (buprenorphine) was supposed to make stepping down dosages to complete sobriety easier and safer but we're running into unforeseen side effects that really hurt more than they help.  Even worse, point #2 becomes exacerbated as suboxone is more lucrative for the clinics so they have a vested interest in keeping people on treatment indefinitely.

Unfortunately, while people have this image of methadone as an interim treatment, that's rarely the case. 

[thundley4]

The DUmmies piss me off because their "doctor shopping' for "pain meds" and what not make it harder for people that need the relief to get them.

Having under went a few highly painful dental procedures in the past few months I know this from experience.  Three separate times I've been given short term, (less than 20 pills), prescriptions for pain medication, and I've had 3 separate kinds.  I asked about it this last time and the dentist said it's to help prevent people becoming addicted.

Do people really become addicted to a drug taken for less than a week?

[SVPete]

Checking for impaired driving around methadone clinics? Works for me!

Since methadone treatment may sometimes be paid for with tax $$, I'm also good with verifications that the methadone isn't being used to "supplement" a drug habit.

Not doing illegal and/or stupid stuff is a good way to minimize close encounters of the LEO kind.

[delilahmused]

I call BS on the entire story.

First place, if you pass a field sobriety test, they have nothing to charge you with, and unless you are acting like a complete ass, they will leave you alone.

Second place, I spent 20 years driving the highways and byways of WV, and either by inattention or whatever, have had the honor of meeting a few of their state, county, and local LEO's.  As a general rule (although TOTALLY up to the discretion of the LEO), if you are doing less than 10mph over the speed limit, you get a warning ticket.  The officer has no reason to search your car unless you are acting LIKE AN ASS, and WILL NOT disrespect your personal property by "throwing it into the gravel".  I personally know a few WV State Troopers, I know several VA State Troopers (my second cousin IS one!), I'm personal friends with the local sheriff and many of the deputies, because I live in a small community, and everybody knows everybody.

DUmmie xtrachrom is FOS!!!

It's not even a big deal if you conceal carry as long as you tell them right up front.

Cindie

[Skul]

It's not considered stalking unless there are bushes involved.
DUmbass DUmpmonkies.

[redwhit]

Do people really become addicted to a drug taken for less than a week?

Yes, people can.  More often than not, though, there's something else going on: genetic predisposition, prior addiction history, mental health issues, problems at home or at work.  The medication is important because pain can seriously impede good healing but you can't save people from themselves.  These little bureaucratic games that are put in place really don't do much at all except sound good in the media.  If people really want to get high, they'll find a way.

[diesel driver]

It's not even a big deal if you conceal carry as long as you tell them right up front.

Cindie

In VA, your CCW is tied to your license, it shows up whenever they run it.  LEO's have the option then to ask you if you have your weapon with you, and to see it should they request to see it.
They can't just search your vehicle because you have a CCW, that's not probable cause, BUT, if you have your weapon and DON'T turn it over when asked, it's a felony.

[thundley4]

Yes, people can.  More often than not, though, there's something else going on: genetic predisposition, prior addiction history, mental health issues, problems at home or at work.  The medication is important because pain can seriously impede good healing but you can't save people from themselves.  These little bureaucratic games that are put in place really don't do much at all except sound good in the media.  If people really want to get high, they'll find a way.

The only effect I've ever gotten from any pain killer is a lessening of the pain, not a complete loss of the pain.  For the next few days I'll be taking ibuprofen during the day and taking a Tylenol 3 an hour or so before bedtime.

[Ptarmigan]

They are citing it from Alternet. Nuff said. 

[SVPete]

They are citing it from Alternet. Nuff said. 

So it's what happens in an Alternet Universe? No wonder it sound so hyperbolic and "just so". I guess tinfoil hats are quite the fashion in that Alternet Universe.

  Geesh!

[Gina]

The only effect I've ever gotten from any pain killer is a lessening of the pain, not a complete loss of the pain.  For the next few days I'll be taking ibuprofen during the day and taking a Tylenol 3 an hour or so before bedtime.

Exactly.  I've gotten myself down to one Percocet a day and tons of Aleve. I break the Percocet in two and take half in morning and half in evening.

[HawkHogan]

Herein lies the problem with legalizing drugs (like libertarians and Dummies want).  The Dummies will want us to pay for their methadone, their treatment, their recovery, etc.

[Chris_]

Herein lies the problem with legalizing drugs (like libertarians and Dummies want).  The Dummies will want us to pay for their methadone, their treatment, their recovery, etc.

The problem I have with legalizing drugs is the wide-open border to the south.  Even if DC was deadly serious about sealing the border, who's to say the drug cartels wouldn't immediately try to gain control of a legal drug economy in the US? 

Cartel violence and corruption in Mexico is bad enough.  Legalizing drugs here would make the problem 100x worse.

[DumbAss Tanker]

The only effect I've ever gotten from any pain killer is a lessening of the pain, not a complete loss of the pain.  For the next few days I'll be taking ibuprofen during the day and taking a Tylenol 3 an hour or so before bedtime.

Yeah, that's been my experience.  Had Vicodin and something stronger for a pinched spinal nerve a few years ago, my experience was that it did take the edge off, but I could still tell I was seriously torn up.  Couldn't see what the recreational attraction was.

[diesel driver]

Same here.  Doc gave me some loratabs for post-op pain after a wrist operation.  Didn't take the first one until 3 days later, when I bumped my wrist on the door jam.  Was sick for a day and a half, felt worse after taking the pain pill than I did with the pain in my wrist.

Aspirin is the only thing I take for any type of pain.

[98ZJUSMC]

They are citing it from Alternet. Nuff said. 

 

[98ZJUSMC]

So it's what happens in an Alternet Universe? No wonder it sound so hyperbolic and "just so". I guess tinfoil hats are quite the fashion in that Alternet Universe.

  Geesh!

That, rawstory and addictinginfo.  It seem that they and the Delusioinsts have pretty much abandoned everything else as being rEiChwIngNutZ!!!!1111elEbiNty!!!111

[SVPete]

That, rawstory and addictinginfo.  It seem that they and the Delusioinsts have pretty much abandoned everything else as being rEiChwIngNutZ!!!!1111elEbiNty!!!111

Tabloids for Progressives ... which one is the Weekly Progressive World News ... and who is their Bat Boy?

[JohnnyReb]

I learned long ago that I just can't take those strong pain killers. They screw me up BAD! A couple of Tylenol is about all I can stand.

[thundley4]

I learned long ago that I just can't take those strong pain killers. They screw me up BAD! A couple of Tylenol is about all I can stand.

I've never had a problem with any. I just follow the label and use them until they're gone.  Except this time with the Tylenol 3, I'm going by the "as needed" part.

[obumazombie]

xchrom = number of chromosomes - 1.

[I_B_Perky]

Same here.  Doc gave me some loratabs for post-op pain after a wrist operation.  Didn't take the first one until 3 days later, when I bumped my wrist on the door jam.  Was sick for a day and a half, felt worse after taking the pain pill than I did with the pain in my wrist.

Aspirin is the only thing I take for any type of pain.

Same here DD. Doc give me those after my hernia surgery. Made me sick. 12 pack of Yuengling worked way better.   For serious pain, a fifth of Jack Daniels works better than beer.   



Dummies better worry more about guys like these than the cops:
http://www.wowktv.com/story/28196233/va-man-sentenced-in-robbery-scheme-targeting-drug-dealers