Senator Mcguire And Supervisor Bass Hosting ‘Opioid Town Hall’ Next Week In Eureka

This is a press release from the office of Senator Mike McGuire:

 

By Rotellam1 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15333580

Eureka, CA – The opioid crisis has hit California hard, and in Humboldt County the impact is even more devastating — the county has the second highest rate of opioid overdoses in the state per capita.

That’s why Senator McGuire and Humboldt County Supervisor Virginia Bass, are bringing the community together for a collaborative conversation about this statewide crisis and how we can work to advance solutions here on the North Coast.

“The opioid crisis has impacted communities big and small all across our country, and the North Coast has been hit especially hard. We have to take a comprehensive look at effective strategies to tackle this crisis and implement a variety of options since there is no silver bullet,” Senator Mike McGuire said. “That’s why Supervisor Bass and I are bringing leaders at both the state and local level together next week to focus on solutions to one of our community’s biggest challenges.”

According to state statistics: The opioid overdose rate for the state in 2016 was 4.6 per 100,000 residents. The Humboldt County rate was nearly five times higher at 22.35 per 100,000.

Senator McGuire and Supervisor Bass will be hosting statewide and local experts, health professionals and addiction specialists at the community-wide meeting. They’ll be focused on potential solutions that will help solve this tragic crisis, you’ll hear how Humboldt County is addressing the epidemic and we’ll hear about what’s worked — and more importantly — what mistakes we should not repeat based on experiences from other states when it comes to potential solutions here on the North Coast.

“Our community is on the front lines of the opioid epidemic in California and we are working hard to combat this from every angle,” said Supervisor Virginia Bass. “I am grateful for Senator McGuire’s work and look forward to a thoughtful and productive Town Hall discussion to move the needle on solutions to this crisis.”

Town Hall details:

WHAT: Town Hall on California’s Opioid Crisis: Focusing on solutions for the North Coast

WHEN: Tuesday, November 14, from 6 to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Sequoia Conference Center, located at the Humboldt County Office of Education, 901 Myrtle Avenue

WHO: Senator Mike McGuire, Supervisor Virginia Bass, state and local experts, health professionals, addiction specialists.

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Zookeeper
Guest
Zookeeper
6 years ago

Here’s a mistake we should not make: Letting 10-time arrested violet heroin users off with a 30 day sentence the 11th time they’re arrested. In prison, they will not be able to access the dope. Instead they can access one on one and group counseling for childhood traumas that led to the numbing behaviors in the first place. Or, you can turn them out to overdose in the street; but not until after they’ve assaulted, stolen and vandalized innocent people and their belongings.

Is DA Maggie Fleming going to attend this town hall? Because she’s the one who needs to the most.

Where’s this article on your old stomping grounds? Shouldn’t an announcement this important be forwarded by all connected with exposing community issues that are grave like this one?

Bushytails
Guest
Bushytails
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

Agreed. The only solution is to physically prevent them from having access to drugs. “since there is no silver bullet” – no, but there are iron bars.

😂
Guest
😂
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

Lmao! You sooooo out of the loop. There is much drug contraband that is smuggled in. Lol. You actually think it’s clean in there! Get you head OYA, before you comment!

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  😂

Ok,let them do drugs in jail,instead of my alley.

Jessica Wilson
Guest
Jessica Wilson
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

Absolutey they have acess to dope in jail. New ppl are coming and going from there constantly and it’s impossible to prevent anything at all from making it through detection. I heard that Del Norte county actually medicated their inmates who are suffering from withdrawl so they can transition to sobriety without getting violently sick. Maybe if they had that option in HCCF then ppl would be less inclined to sneak illucit drugs into the jail facility.

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

Oh well. If they come up with an effect strategy (defined as more money, grants and personnel that might accidently suppress use), then people will move onto the next product that is not so regulated. The best they are likely going to do is make it extremely difficult for the few who need really powerful pain relief to get it while adding another bit of paperwork/reporting to the medical profession already drowning in it.

When there is a culture that doen’t require pride in self sufficiency in any measure, then a certain percentage of people will look to drugs for a substitute.

HOGRANCH
Guest
HOGRANCH
6 years ago

this should be interesting, how does a politician solve any problems? ive seen this guy in action before, he cant or wont answer a question that is a direct one, that will be the way he handles the pill usage scenario. he will be restrictive, I say give them all they want, you can have my share too. if you are in pain you should be treated for pain. they wont run out of pain meds. its your life to do with what you want, not what somebody else wants.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

In other words, while the President is making negotiations with big pharma to produce non addictive pain killers, the local anti-americans’ want to lock up all the Doctors who prescribe pain meds to their patients in pain. Must keep the prison beds full or there goes the funding.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/10/opinion/opioids-taxpayer-funded-addiction.html

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago

This problem has almost nothing to do with physical addiction and everything to do with mental health. That is why addicts get clean and free of the physical addiction, only to go back to using over and over.

Zookeeper
Guest
Zookeeper
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

BINGO. You’ve found the root of the problem. I hope they discuss nothing but mental health services and mandatory recovery & one on one regressive psychotherapy funding for recovering addicts. Otherwise it’s like pissing in the wind.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

Mental health and addiction are like the old which-came-first riddle. Many a person with as healthy a mind as anyone else gets addicted. There are many mentally ill who never get addicted. And there are some that do. The only surety is that many drugs create mental unbalance while being used.

Equating drug use as a symptom of mental illness does a great disservice to both those conditions. And using drugs as a coping mechanism or as self stimulation or sedation does not make the user a victim of disease.

HOGRANCH
Guest
HOGRANCH
6 years ago
Reply to  hmm

THANK RONNIE REGAN FOR CLOSING DOWN MANY STATE MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITIALS AN LETTING FIRST RESPONDERS DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. THEY ARE NOT OR SHOULDNT BE EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. THERE SHOULD BE SOME MENTAL HEALTH LONG TERM FOR THESE PEOPLE.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  HOGRANCH

You’d have to change the court precedents that prevent involutary commitment unless the patient is a danger to themselves or others. Which is next to impossible to prove until they have hurt others and not even then.

It was not Reagan’s fault that large hospitals became pretty much useless.

Lone ranger
Guest
Lone ranger
6 years ago

Just give the people their pills, better than seeing them race around town all pissed off cause they can’t get high. So simple, but when your body starts to fail step up and take responsibility for your health and tell everyone why your body is shot at 50 , why does everyone try to hide their drug use haha ,too funny

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
6 years ago

Make synthetic opiates illegal. The US consumes 99 percent of the Vicodin in the world. No one else uses it. Europe has codeine and morphine. That’s all we need.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Opiates can be addictive. Depends on the person. Morphine is not harmless. Can be as bad as Vicodin.

Phyllis
Guest
Phyllis
6 years ago

After years of addiction, jail time and more drugs. My daughter and boyfriend moved away, out of state, family there encouraged them to stay clean. They didn’t have the pressure or temptation because they left the environment, their friends many of whom did drugs too. Clean 5 years later, they both have jobs and have a home. They broke the cycle. I’m very proud, it was the hardest thing they did in their lives, but in doing so, saved their lives.

Zookeeper
Guest
Zookeeper
6 years ago
Reply to  Phyllis

They are the rare lucky few. Most newly recovering addicts have massive pressure from other addicts or lifestyles and the “geographical cure” doesn’t work at all. There are drugs everywhere in the US. Forgive me but your tale almost sounds like a fairy tale to those familiar with how addiction and recovery works. But if it’s true, good for you.

😂
Guest
😂
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

Yes drugs are everywhere, but sometimes relocation can help. Im speaking from experience, 20Yrs ago I had a problem & was half my original healthy weight. My skin wrapped around ribcage & collar bones, as if my skin was stretched around the bones on purpose. I hid it under baggy clothes & no one in my family seemed to notice. For reasons not under my control, I had to move, to another county hrs away, cause the fam had been hired to New job. In this New location, I didn’t know anyone. So l just started pondering, what I ever did before touching the hardcore stuff. What did I ever do before this sickness? So I started reading again & took long walks. I went to fun drug free events & stArted to remember, I did hAve fun before without being smashed. I realized, I’m in control of my life & not an lifeless product, I put in my body. No counseling, no rehad, I knew I was in control & not a substance with no soul. It’s just powder with no conscience & I knew my will power was much stronger. Well here I am 20yrs later, clean as a whistle. Yet I know many don’t have the same will power I had, But I do feel if I never left, I would have spiraled further & eventually lost that strong will I had. Moving & removing to old friends was the best thing to ever happen to me.

Phyllis
Guest
Phyllis
6 years ago
Reply to  Zookeeper

They’ve seen friends die or go to prison… Addiction is powerful ask anyone trying to stop using heroin or meth, cigarettes, alcohol. Takes willpower, counselling, help, support, commitment. Destroying families and lives is the result of feeding the addiction and yes, it’s everywhere.

curlybill
Guest
curlybill
6 years ago
Reply to  Phyllis

Phyllis,
I don’t see why your daughter and boyfriend couldn’t find new friends in the area who are not users. If you party, you will all use the same intoxicants.
Would a recovering alcoholic go to a bar because that is where their friends are?
I know people go to casinos because they can smoke cigs while they drink at the bar.
Disclosure, I am a hermit because I don’t want to pick up any bad habits.

Phyllis
Guest
Phyllis
6 years ago
Reply to  curlybill

For them, they had to get away. It’s never easy.
I don’t like casinos because when I leave I smell like an ashtray, I don’t smoke. Guess I’m a hermit too.. My habits and hobbies are boring.

Steven Bridenbaugh
Guest
Steven Bridenbaugh
6 years ago

Opioids are prescribed to make people rich. If they weren’t allowed to do that, people would be given less harmful treatments for pain

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Except maybe those who have unremitting pain? My admittedly limited use of opiates was that, if I had huge amounts of pain, there was no high in using them. But if pain was negligible, then there was.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago

Bullfuckinshit.

Conservative Stupidity
Guest
Conservative Stupidity
6 years ago

These are Honeydew CHUMP’s kind of drugs: pharmaceuticals. All useful pawns are into them.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago

Pain is not a virtue. Neither is blindly judging other people. Using pharmaceuticals is not a crime.

curlybill
Guest
curlybill
6 years ago

People are making life style choices and should own that decision. It is not glamorous to be an opioid user. If you want to use you could die, many do not.
If you want to get clean look for help.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  curlybill

Chronic pain is not a lifestyle choiceedit]! Abusing opioids is a problem. Using them for chronic pain is not! Judge much? Knowledge is power. Get some.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago

It starts at childhood. Watching mom and dad get drunk is not good. Taking kids to a brewery to eat is just as bad. Normal is relative,when kids see boozing as normal,they might see other forms of inebriation as normal. Sadly,it is “normal” now. It starts with acceptance,when kids see posters like the “Wine with Swine” event ,they accept it as normal to get drunk and call the police “pigs”. Adults need to start being aware of their image.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago

I know people who do not drink, because their parents did. Your cause and effect theory is a flawed one.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

Correct. I am your example. Some folks grow up in contrast to their parents flaws. Unfortunately that is rarer than your comment would suggest Truthy.
Sadly,some homes are so bad it leaves such a terribly negative impression on young kids.
Don’t be naive and cite a few friends experiences when you know it’s not the norm.

Free samples
Guest
Free samples
6 years ago

Opiods in townhall? Im there!

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest

druggies should be dropped into north korea, need to clean things up….

weed, smack, tweek… all the same, deport druggies to save trees.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

I was given morphine in glass viles in boxes of thirty for my mouth and teeth. I had to be weaned off very slowly,then for my pain in my joints (haha)gave me Norco. I’ve taken just about everything,after 7 surgeries. But when they gave me vicodin,I gave them back. Once your pain is done you should be done with the meds. So you’d think. Maybe it’s mind over matter

sally
Guest
sally
6 years ago
Reply to  G-MAS

Some people are susceptible to addiction and others are not. It seems to be genetic. It’s the luck of the draw and you never know until it’s too late. Most people don’t become addicted. The percentage is actually pretty low when you consider all the hype, I think it’s a little over 10% but when you consider the fact that the medical profession hands out opioids for everything that 10% turns out to be a big chunk of the population.

Taurus Ballzhof
Guest
Taurus Ballzhof
6 years ago

Vicodin is about as effective as 2 tictacs and a lollipop… and Vicodin won’t get you high.

Opiates are great for short term use, but lose efficacy over time.

If you want off, get subutex for three days, then go cold turkey.

Good luck!

Diesel Dually
Guest
Diesel Dually
6 years ago

AND, for real pain relief, get MS Contin. Easier to get off of it, and much cleaner to use in general. Many doctors won’t prescribe it!

Codeine and Hydrocodone have a much worse withdrawl!

Don’t use opiate painkillers unless you REALLY need them, and then, cut down and quit ASAP!

zookeeper
Guest
zookeeper
6 years ago
Reply to  Diesel Dually

Anyone else weirded out by the fact that nobody seems to be willing to advertise this event? I mean it’s not every day the Senator comes to Humboldt to host a town hall with Supervisor Bass. Google it. Kym’s page is the only one I could find discussing or advertising the event????

In response, those of you with facebook pages need to advertise it. I don’t have one.