Who Killed Kale?

Bob, I know where you are coming from in your blog.  I am having a hard time this morning with things.

There are definitely too many issues going on in the world that are affecting young people in a negative way these days.

Hello Bob - there is likely more to Kale's story(and far too many like his)to truly understand this plight of epidemic proportions.  

Bob,

The whole opioids is everyone's responsibility.  These are so addictive that one looses their minds at every age, even old people are committing roberries to feed their addiction to these so called legal drugs.  When I was managing two medical practices, oxycontin  prescription was a triple reporting drug (state, fed, and pharmacists.    It was known as an addictive drug...and somehow this was forgotten...A

Bob- when we were living in Delray Beach the opioid epidemic was even taking its toll on the first responders who took their patients to the ER only to have them back in the hospital again in days. We have to stop the source and stop the need. 

Bob "RealMan" Timm I don't disagree with you entirely - society does need justice as a part of its structure, and I can names pages worth of criminals who I think didn't see enough justice done. But I'd like to take an additional approach - many many many addicts are self-medicating because of undiagnosed physiological issues like ADD and PTSD. If we would in fact stop putting mentally-challenged people in jail at monstrously disproproportionate rates to mentally-unchallenged people and would instead start introducing mandatory treatment "sentences" for them, we'd see a marvelous drop in recidivism. Equally critical, start mandatory screening of school-age children (although I'm not expert enough to know what's a good age to test) of all kids for ADD, dyslexia and a few other early-onset issues, treat them, and they don't develop addictions in the first place. Significantly more humane, far less costly, and society nurtures productive members of the community.

Morning Bob.

The age old question, some blame the lawmakers and some the way people look at an issue.  Until society and the lawmakers are on the same page it will continue

The opiod epidemic in this country continues to claim lives.  I agree with the comment left by James Dray . . ."Until society and the lawmakers are on the same page it will continue."

Bob,

I know this is an older post however I just came across it.  I got goosebumps reading it because I lost a nephew at a similar age due to the same thing.  He got clean for months and then the past came back to get him in the form of the old dealer.  It is outrageous and maddening!  It is hard to prove and procecute when the witness is dead.