SUSAN KENNEDY
Associate Professor
There’s an epidemic gripping our country. Heroin-related overdoses are paralyzing our communities and tearing apart families, and Ohio has the distinction of being one of a handful of states in which heroin-related overdoses are increasing at a disturbing rate. In late August, for example, Cincinnati witnessed 175 heroin overdoses over a six-day span (Washington Post).
Heroin has been around since the late 1800s, when it was synthesized from morphine, a naturally occurring compound derived from the poppy plant. And although heroin has posed a problem for some drug users since that time, we’ve never seen a public health crisis such as that currently affecting our country. Why has heroin use become so widespread in the past few years? And why are so many of its users overdosing and dying? One reason is the recent trend of individuals turning to the more affordable heroin to replace costly and difficult to obtain prescription pain medicines.
Both heroin and prescription painkillers belong to a class of drugs called opioids, known for their very effective ability to alleviate pain and induce a state of euphoria. Drugs like oxycontin and oxycodone are typically prescribed for chronic pain, or for pain management following surgery, and many individuals who have become dependent on them search for drugs that work similarly and are easier to obtain after their prescriptions have expired.
But the other more troubling reason is that much of the heroin on the street has been “cut” with other substances that are far more lethal than heroin alone, including Fentanyl and very powerful veterinary sedatives. When combined with heroin, these substances produce very dangerous and rapid decreases in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, often culminating in death. Coupled with the fact that heroin is almost always introduced intravenously, its effects in the brain are instantaneous and difficult (under most circumstances) to counteract.
So the question is: what does the national heroin epidemic have to do with Denison and to our lives on this beautiful hill? Although the “heroin problem” might not affect many of us directly, there are, nonetheless, some important lessons we can learn from this public health issue that are directly applicable to our lives at Denison, especially as they relate to alcohol use and Denison’s “alcohol culture”.
I’ll enumerate three valuable lessons below:
1. Always—always—- know exactly what you are ingesting. Be sure what you are drinking is what you think you are drinking (and nothing more). Just as street heroin is being “cut” with far more dangerous substances, there are, unfortunately, instances we read and hear about in which alcoholic beverages are “laced” with additional substances and given to the unsuspecting individual. You’ve heard it before, and I’ll say it again: hold onto your drink, or have a trusted friend watch over it for you if you have to step away for a moment. “Dosing” someone without consent is not funny. It’s not entertainment. It IS illegal and punishable by jail time, and may also pose a great risk to the health and well-being of the unsuspecting individual (sexual assault, medical emergencies).
2. Be aware of potential negative interactions that may arise from combining drugs. Just as the combination of heroin and added substances can be deadly, there are inherent dangers to the individual when alcohol is taken with a number of other substances. Educate yourself about how alcohol may interact with other medicines or substances you may be taking. This includes prescribed medicines (Adderall or Ritalin, antidepressants) as well as common and seemingly safe over the counter cold medicines or other pain relievers. When drugs are taken together, one drug might seriously impact on how quickly or slowly the second drug is broken down or eliminated from the body, which may result in serious harm to the body or a medical emergency.
3. We are a community of learners, scholars and teachers. Look out for one another. If you see someone who might be in trouble, help him/her out. Get him/her safely back to their dorm or apartment, and call for help, if necessary. It’s our responsibility to work to keep our campus healthy and safe. It’s a Denison thing.
Dr. Susan Kennedy is an Associate Professor in the department of psychology
Kate Jordan
I agree with what Doctor Kennedy wrote regarding care that students should take while drinking alcohol and general care that students should take for one another.
However, I believe stating that the “heroin problem might not affect many of us directly” is naïve. For the past 11 years I have been prosecuting drug crimes in Denison’s neighboring state of Pennsylvania. The majority of those cases are heroin cases. It is estimated that in 2013, 200 out of every 200,000 Americans were addicted to heroin, with the number on the rise. The CDC reports that those at highest risk for heroin use/addiction are white males between the ages of 18-25.
To make the assumption that heroin use may not be a significant concern on “The Hill” is dangerous thinking. It also contributes to the stigmatization of heroin users, not as normal, intelligent Denison students, but as “junkies” who have little to do with higher education at a small liberal arts college.
One case that I am currently prosecuting involves the deaths of 6 addicts, all who chased the same stamp from the same dealer, that eventually ended up killing them. What did all of those kids have in common? They were all white, affluent, high school graduates, attending various Pennsylvania colleges. Some were athletes. Some were serious students. Some were very involved in their college communities. Many of them looked like, acted like, had similar backgrounds as your average Denison student.
That doesn’t even take into account students who may be dealing with the epidemic within their families and/or communities at home. With such a large percentage of our population reporting heroin use and/or prescription pill abuse, it is highly probable that EVERY Denison student knows someone who is affected by these terrible drugs.
Acknowledging that this is a wide-spread, across the board problem, that spans race, gender and socio-economics, is one of the first steps in removing the stigma of this disease and encouraging those affected to reach out for help.
Dr. Kennedy’s lessons regarding alcohol great. The assumption that heroin use does not touch many in the Denison community is not.