In his seminars, [Dr. John] Aldis addresses why addicts\u2019 lives are worth saving. That might seem self-evident, but at this point in the opioid epidemic many West Virginians feel too exhausted and resentful to help. People like Lori Swadley and the Hope Dealer women and John Aldis must combat a widespread attitude of \u201cLeave \u2019em lie, let \u2019em die.\u201d A community sucked dry by addiction becomes understandably wary of coddling users, and some locals worry that making Narcan easily available could foster complacency about overdoses.<\/p>\n
William Poe, a paramedic, told me, \u201cThe thing about Narcan is that it kind of makes it O.K. to overdose, because then you can keep it in your house and keep it private. And a lot of times we\u2019re the wake-up call. I remember one time, we had a kid who had O.D.\u2019d, and we had him in the ambulance. A call came over the radio\u2014someone about his age had just died from an overdose. And the kid was, like, \u2018I\u2019m so glad you guys brought me back.\u2019 \u201d It was humiliating when an ambulance showed up at your house and carted you out, pale and retching, but it also might push you to change. Then again, Poe mused, when most of your neighbors\u2014not to mention your mom and your grandma\u2014already knew that you used heroin, shaming might have little effect.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n Terrifying, moving, must read on US opioid crisis by the New Yorker: The Addicts Next Door https:\/\/t.co\/sKvXPngdU0<\/a><\/p>\n — Jan Fiegel (@janfiegel) June 12, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n